cliffhanger
or cliff-hang·er
[ klif-hang-er ]
/ ˈklɪfˌhæŋ ər /
noun
a melodramatic or adventure serial in which each installment ends in suspense in order to interest the reader or viewer in the next installment.
a single installment in such a serial.
a suspenseful movie, novel, etc.
the suspenseful ending itself.
a situation or contest of which the outcome is suspensefully uncertain up to the very last moment: The game was a cliffhanger, but our team finally won.
Origin of cliffhanger
An Americanism dating back to 1935–40
Words nearby cliffhanger
cliff brake,
cliff dweller,
cliff swallow,
cliff-hang,
cliff-hanging,
cliffhanger,
clifford,
clifford trust,
cliffs notes,
cliffside park,
cliffy
British Dictionary definitions for cliff-hanger
cliffhanger
/ (ˈklɪfˌhæŋə) /
noun
- a situation of imminent disaster usually occurring at the end of each episode of a serialized film
- the serialized film itself
a situation that is dramatic or uncertain