fiscal cliff

fis·cal cliff

F f

Definitions of fiscal cliff words

noun fiscal cliff a governmental or personal financial crisis that is brought on by economic factors or policies: High housing costs have pushed many families over the fiscal cliff. Some municipalities are on the edge of a fiscal cliff after years of overspending. 1
noun fiscal cliff (specifically) a financial crisis that threatens to disrupt the economy or personal finances and is brought on by steep governmental spending cuts and tax increases: Congressional legislation to avert the fiscal cliff. 1
countable noun fiscal cliff A fiscal cliff is a situation in which sudden changes in government spending and tax have a big and sudden effect on a country's economy. 0
noun fiscal cliff a situation in which sudden changes in government expenditure and taxation have a profound effect on a country's economy 0
noun fiscal cliff (politics, economics) A situation where a number of large spending or taxation bills begin or end simultaneously. 0

before 1950

One of the 5% newest English words

First recorded in 1950-55

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 93% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.

Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".