sea cliff
Ocean-facing rock wall
A sea cliff is a steep rock face along a coastline, formed by wave erosion undercutting the base of the slope.
Sea cliffs can rise hundreds of feet and often host nesting seabirds: Puffins breed on the sea cliffs of Iceland.
The term distinguishes coastal cliffs shaped by ocean action from inland cliffs formed by other geological processes.
Land-water boundary
- headlandCoastal land jutting seaward
- promontoryElevated land jutting waterward
- seashoreOcean's edge
- coveSheltered coastal indentation
bay · inlet · fjord · bluff · cape · oceanfront · waterfront · foreshore
Fine-grained volcanic stone
- limestoneCarbonate sedimentary rock
- chalkSoft sedimentary writing stone
- sandstoneCemented grain sediment
- graniteIgneous rock, quartz-rich
shale · strata · sediment · outcrop · rockface · fault · escarpment · formation
Charging less than rivals
- rockfallCollapsed cliff material
- collapseSudden structural failure
- retreatSanctuary or withdrawal
- weatheringAtmospheric breakdown of materials
abrasion · landslide · corrosion · destabilization · coastal retreat · notch · cave formation · talus
Pleasing distant scene
- panoramaUnobstructed wide-angle view
- viewpointWay of seeing things
- overlookMiss or commanding view
- horizonApparent earth-sky meeting
dramatic · towering · breathtaking · spectacular · imposing · grandeur · sweeping · picturesque
shoreline
Land-water boundary
- headlandCoastal land jutting seaward
- promontoryElevated land jutting waterward
- seashoreOcean's edge
cove · bay · inlet · fjord · bluff · cape · oceanfront · waterfront · foreshore · peninsula
basalt
Fine-grained volcanic stone
- limestoneCarbonate sedimentary rock
- chalkSoft sedimentary writing stone
- sandstoneCemented grain sediment
granite · shale · strata · sediment · outcrop · rockface · fault · escarpment · formation · bedrock
undercutting
Charging less than rivals
weathering · abrasion · landslide · corrosion · destabilization · coastal retreat · notch · cave formation · talus · debris
vista
Pleasing distant scene
horizon · dramatic · towering · breathtaking · spectacular · imposing · grandeur · sweeping · picturesque · awe-inspiring
- splash zonehigh tide line, high tide mark, tide marks, salt crust, rocky shores
- landformsmountain, valley, volcano, mountain ridge, hill
- Cliffsbluff, crag, escarpment, precipice, scarp
- coastal featuresshore, coast, beach, bay, cove
- coastal landformsbeach, beaches, coast, coastline, shore
- coastsshoreline, sandy shore, coves, bays, rocky shore
sea cliffbeach
Sandy waterside margin
sandy beach · tidal flat · mudflat · coastal plain · sandbar
sea cliffocean trench
seabed · submarine canyon · ocean depths · ocean basin · tidal pool
sea, cliff, seas, cliffs, seaward, seascape, seaside, seabed, seafarer