Both crevasse and crevice refer to cracks in things, but their meanings are not exactly the same. And neither are their pronunciations.
In this article, we’ll break down the distinctions, explain how the difference in pronunciation can help you remember the difference in meaning, and reveal which one is big enough for you to fall into.
⚡ Quick summary
A crevasse, [ kruh–vas ] with a second syllable that rhymes with mass, is a very big, deep crack, especially a chasm in a glacier or the earth’s surface. A crevice [ krev-is ] with a second syllable that rhymes with miss, is a small crack in something that forms an opening into the thing’s surface.
What is a crevasse?
A crevasse, [ kruh–vas ] with a second syllable that rhymes with mass, is a very big, deep crack, especially one in a glacier or the earth’s surface. A close synonym is chasm. Much more specifically, crevasse can also refer to a breach in an embankment or levee.
What is a crevice?
A crevice, [ krev-is ] with a second syllable that rhymes with miss, is a small crack in something that forms an opening into the thing’s surface (as opposed to a hairline crack, which is thinner and doesn’t open up). Synonyms include words like crack, cleft, and rift. An informal synonym is cranny (as in nooks and crannies).
Crevice usually refers to a crack in some kind of surface, such as in asphalt or a piece of wood.
Where do crevasse and crevice come from?
Crevasse and crevice come from the same French word, the verb crev(er), meaning “to crack.” Crevice is older. The first records of it in English come from the 1300s, while the first records of crevasse come from the US in the 1800s.
crevice vs. crevasse
The word crevice typically refers to small cracks in a surface, such as a wooden table or an old piece of rubber. A crevasse, on the other hand, is a huge opening in something, especially a glacier or the ground.
There’s no official point at which a crevice becomes a crevasse, but if it’s big enough for you to fall into, then you can definitely call it a crevasse.
For middle-of-the-road openings (medium-sized ones, not like actual sinkholes in the street, which count as crevasses), it’s probably best to avoid crevice and crevasse and instead opt for a word like fissure, which can refer to an opening of any size.
The difference in pronunciation can also help you remember the difference in meaning. The second syllable of crevasse rhymes with mass, which means “big.”
Can you reason out the differences between inductive and deductive?
Examples of crevasse and crevice used in a sentence
Here are some examples of sentences with crevasse and crevice to give you an idea of how they’re typically used.
- We descended into the crevasse, one of the largest in the glacier.
- Once inside the crevasse, we examined the ice to look for any small crevices.
- Hikers discovered a crevasse in the earth large enough to hold a school bus.
- Moss was growing inside a tiny crevice in the rock.
- The surface of the cake is covered in crevices, but you won’t be able to see them once you spread the icing on top.
