crevice

noun

crev·​ice ˈkre-vəs 

: a narrow opening resulting from a split or crack (as in a cliff) : fissure

A lizard emerged from a crevice in the cliff …

—Tony Hillerman

Did you know?

What's the difference between a crevice and a crevasse?

Crevice and crevasse are very similar words: both come from Old French crever "to break or burst" and both refer to an opening of some kind. In fact, you can say that the only notable distinction between the two is the size of the openings they denote—and that one of them—crevice—is far more common than the other.

A crevice is a narrow opening resulting from a split or crack. In nature, crevices exist mostly in rocks and cliffs, but writers sometimes use the word for similar openings found in other materials, as in "crumbs in the crevices of the cushion." The word also is used metaphorically, as in "the cracks and crevices of memory."

Crevasse refers to a deep hole or fissure in a glacier or in the earth. In most instances, the word appears with enough context that the depth of the opening is easy enough to figure out, as in "a climber who fell 30 feet into a crevasse."

You'll sometimes find crevice used where crevasse is expected—probably because it's the word people are more familiar with. One way to remember the distinction between crevice and crevasse is that the i in crevice, the smaller hole, is a thinner letter than a in crevasse, the larger hole. Or, should you step into a crevasse, perhaps you'll have time for a lot of "Ahhhs"?

Synonyms

• check
• chink
• cleft
• crack
• cranny
• fissure
• rift
• split

Examples of crevice in a Sentence

steam escaped from a long crevice in the volcano

Recent Examples on the Web

Strings accompany the usual sparse guitar as background vocals from other Black female country singers - Brittney Spencer, Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy and Reyna Roberts – soar through the crevices of the song. —USA TODAY, 29 Mar. 2024

Or, for a deeper clean, Forté suggests wrapping the toothbrush in a disinfecting wipe and then brushing it through the crevices. —Kalina Newman, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2024

This handheld vacuum comes with a dozen accessories, including tools for cleaning up the mattresses, above the furniture, or those stubborn couch crevices. —Gabriela Vatu, PCMAG, 22 Mar. 2024

Dens can be a steep bank, rock crevices, sinkholes or underbrush, according to the Forest Service. —Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024

Cons The tread is shallow which could lead to slips if mud or other debris got lodged in those crevices. —Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 27 Mar. 2024

There are also fewer crevices for dirt and stains to hide. —Nor'adila Hepburn, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Mar. 2024

The Amish man, the vehicle’s owner and other horses jump to help get the car out of the ice, pulling and pushing it out of the crevice. —Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024

But smoke seeps in — through electrical sockets, air conditioning systems, crevices between floorboards and gaps in insulation. —Danny Nguyen, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French crevace, from crever to break, from Latin crepare to crack

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

crevice

noun

crev·​ice ˈkrev-əs 

: a narrow opening caused by a split or crack : fissure

Medical Definition

crevice

noun

crev·​ice ˈkrev-əs 

: a narrow fissure or cleft

an ulcerated periodontal crevice

see gingival crevice