Standard Lemma guide

nosedive

noun · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈnəʊzdaɪv/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: N OW1 Z D AY2 V Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A headfirst fall or jump.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A drop in altitude with the nose of the craft angled downwards.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: aeronautics, aerospace, aviation, business, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A rapid fall, e.g. in price or value.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: usually

Topics: economics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To dive down in a steep angle.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To perform a rapid fall in price or value.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Qualifier: economy

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

a steep nose-down descent by an aircraft

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dive, nose dive

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: descent

Narrower terms: power dive

7

noun

Meaning 7

a sudden sharp drop or rapid decline

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the stock took a nosedive

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: decline, diminution

8

verb

Meaning 8

plunge nose first; drop with the nose or front first, of aircraft

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: dive, plunge, plunk

History

Etymology

From nose + dive.

Across languages

Translations

48 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: capbussada — a headfirst fall or jump
  • Catalan: capbussó — a headfirst fall or jump
  • Catalan: salt m de cap — a headfirst fall or jump
  • Danish: styrtdyk — a headfirst fall or jump
  • Finnish: syöksy pää edellä — a headfirst fall or jump
  • Finnish: hyppy pää edellä — a headfirst fall or jump
  • Hungarian: zuhanórepülés — a headfirst fall or jump
  • Hungarian: bukórepülés — a headfirst fall or jump
  • Japanese: 急降下 (kyūkōka) — a headfirst fall or jump
  • Polish: skok na główkę — a headfirst fall or jump
  • Spanish: salto m de cabeza — a headfirst fall or jump
  • Swedish: störtdykning — a headfirst fall or jump
  • Dutch: duikvlucht — aviation: drop in altitude with nose angled downwards
  • Finnish: pystysyöksy — aviation: drop in altitude with nose angled downwards
  • Italian: picchiata — aviation: drop in altitude with nose angled downwards
  • Japanese: 急降下 (kyūkōka) — aviation: drop in altitude with nose angled downwards
  • Swedish: störtdykning — aviation: drop in altitude with nose angled downwards
  • Bulgarian: срив (sriv) — a rapid fall in price or value
  • Catalan: caiguda de preu — a rapid fall in price or value
  • Catalan: caiguda de valor — a rapid fall in price or value
  • Danish: styrtdykning — a rapid fall in price or value
  • Finnish: romahdus — a rapid fall in price or value
  • Hungarian: mélyrepülés — a rapid fall in price or value
  • Hungarian: zuhanás — a rapid fall in price or value
  • Polish: skoczyć na główkę — a rapid fall in price or value
  • Spanish: desplome de precio — a rapid fall in price or value
  • Spanish: desplome de valor — a rapid fall in price or value
  • Swedish: störtdykning — a rapid fall in price or value
  • Bulgarian: пикирам (pikiram) — to dive down in a steep angle
  • Catalan: capbussar — to dive down in a steep angle
  • Danish: styrtdykke — to dive down in a steep angle
  • Dutch: een duikvlucht maken — to dive down in a steep angle
  • Finnish: syöksyä pystysyöksyssä — to dive down in a steep angle
  • Italian: scendere in picchiata — to dive down in a steep angle
  • Japanese: 急降下する (kyūkōka suru) — to dive down in a steep angle
  • Māori: tapakō — to dive down in a steep angle
  • Spanish: sumergirse — to dive down in a steep angle
  • Swedish: störtdyka — to dive down in a steep angle
  • Bulgarian: сривам (srivam) — to perform a rapid fall in price or value
  • Catalan: caure's el preu — to perform a rapid fall in price or value
  • Catalan: caure's el valor — to perform a rapid fall in price or value
  • Danish: styrtdykke — to perform a rapid fall in price or value
  • Finnish: romahtaa — to perform a rapid fall in price or value
  • Hungarian: zuhan — to perform a rapid fall in price or value
  • Italian: crollare — to perform a rapid fall in price or value
  • Spanish: desplomarse el precio — to perform a rapid fall in price or value
  • Spanish: desplomarse el valor — to perform a rapid fall in price or value
  • Swedish: störtdyka — to perform a rapid fall in price or value