German word

steil

Pronunciation

IPA/ʃtaɪ̯l/

Meaning

  • adjectivesteep

Example

Der steile Weg ist gefährlich.

The steep path is dangerous.

Illustration for steil (steep)

More examples

Der steile Hügel machte uns schnell müde.

The steep hill quickly made us tired.

Core concept

A road, slope, or wall rises or falls sharply, leaving little level ground between its ends.

Common phrases

  • steile Treppe

    steep staircase

  • steiler Anstieg

    steep ascent

Similar words

senkrecht: Nearly upright, with a direction that is almost straight up or down.
flach: Nearly level, with only a slight incline or decline.
sprunghaft: Changing sharply and quickly rather than gradually.

Definition in German

Scharf geneigt; so, dass ein Hang, Weg oder eine Fläche stark ansteigt oder abfällt.

Word origin

Steil is an inherited Germanic adjective, with closely related forms in English steep and Dutch steil.

Usage tips

  • Steil also describes sharp upward changes in prices, numbers, or curves, so the context can be physical or figurative.

Other meanings

  • sheeradjective

Opposites

Word lists with this word