pitfall

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A potential, unsuspected, hidden problem, hazard, or danger that is easily encountered but not immediately obvious.

   It's usually a simple task, but you should know the pitfalls before you attempt it yourself.

First recorded use in the 14th century from pit + fall in the sense of "pit trap, pit snare", from Old English fealle (“trap, snare”), from Proto-Germanic *fallą, *fallaz (“a fall, trap”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pōl-. Cognate with German Falle (“trap, snare”).

Topics