Etymologically
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crestfallen

Etymology and origin of the English word crestfallen

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Ultimate origin
English (crest,fallen)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈkɹɛstfɔːlən/ (UK); /ˈkɹɛstfɔlən/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is from English crest + fallen.[2][3] It has the form of a past-participle adjective, but the verb crestfall is recorded only from the 1610s, and rarely.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Dejected, dispirited (1580s).[3][2] Merriam-Webster dates it to 1589.[4] Etymonline cites the early form creast falne.[3]

Semantic evolution

The image may be that of a defeated cock with its crest fallen,[3] though Etymonline suggests that horses are meant, since the verb crestfall refers to diseased horses.[3] The literal sense, “having a drooping crest or hanging head”, is still listed by dictionaries,[4][2][1] but the figurative “dejected, humiliated” is the usual one.[5][4][1]

Timeline

  • 1589 – dejected, dispirited.[4][3]
  • 1610s – verb crestfall, of horses, and crest-risen “proud”.[3]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. Dispirited and dejected, especially after a disappointment or humiliation.
  2. Having a drooping crest or hanging head.

Word family

  • crestfallenly
  • crestfallenness
  • crest

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  5. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
Cite this entry

“Crestfallen.” Etymologically, 15 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/crestfallen. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·