Pitfall Trap
/ˈpɪt.fɔːl træp/noun
A concealed pit or container used to catch animals, insects, or other targets that fall into it.
Did you know?Pitfall traps were used long before modern science, both for hunting animals and for collecting hidden ground-dwelling creatures that emerge at night.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ped-
“Foot; the ancient root associated with stepping and the later English word pit.”
Old English
Old English
pytt
“A pit, hole, or excavation in the ground.”
Old English
Old English
feallan
“To fall, drop, or descend downward.”
Middle English
English
pitfall
“A concealed danger or hidden hole into which someone or something may fall.”
13th Century
Middle English
trappe
“A snare or device for catching animals, borrowed from Old French.”
Modern English
English
pitfall trap
“A trap consisting of a concealed pit or container into which a target falls; figuratively, a hidden danger.”