precipitous

The story

1. Vulgar Latin · derived from*praecipitōsus
2. French · derived fromprécipiteux
3. English todayprecipitous

From obsolete French précipiteux, from Vulgar Latin *praecipitōsus, from praeceps, praecipit- (“ precipice”) + -ōsus (“-ful, -ous”), from prae- (“before”) + caput (“head”). Equivalent to precipice (“steep cliff, brink”) + -ous.