Downfallen
adj, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 past participle of downfall. form-of, participle, past
- 1 Fallen down.
- 2 Having undergone a defeat, or been ousted from a position of authority. figuratively
"But one or two, who nourished in their bosoms respect for the downfallen hierarchy—casting first a timorous glance around, to see that no one observed them—hastily crossed themselves—bent their knee to sister Magdalen, by which name they saluted her—kissed her hand, or even the hem of her dalmatique—received with humility the Benedicite with which she repaid their obeisance; […]"
- 3 Crestfallen, depressed, down in the dumps.
Example
More examples"But one or two, who nourished in their bosoms respect for the downfallen hierarchy—casting first a timorous glance around, to see that no one observed them—hastily crossed themselves—bent their knee to sister Magdalen, by which name they saluted her—kissed her hand, or even the hem of her dalmatique—received with humility the Benedicite with which she repaid their obeisance; […]"
Etymology
From downfall (“to fall down, decline”).
Related phrases
More for "downfallen"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.