headland

Everyday

A headland is a high piece of land with steep cliffs that sticks out into the sea. tree →

In the lessons

In geography lessons about coasts, headlands form where hard rock wears away slowly while soft rock nearby is eaten away into bays. Waves attack headlands and make caves, arches and stacks. In stories, lighthouses often stand on headlands.

Examples

• A lighthouse stands on the headland. tree →
• Waves crash against the rocky headland. tree →
• Headlands are made of hard rock. tree →
• The bay is sheltered between two headlands. tree →
• We walked along the cliff path to the headland. tree →
• Over time, a cave in a headland can become an arch. tree →
• From the headland we could see dolphins. tree →
• The vessel glided between the headlands of the port, and the giant resumed his march. tree →

Note

Countable: headlands. Similar: cape, point, promontory (formal). Opposite coastal feature: a bay. Geography order: cave → arch → stack → stump.