"steep slope," especially as part of a fortification, 1680s, from French escarpe (16c.), from Italian scarpa (see scarp).
Entries linking to escarp
scarp n.
1580s, of fortifications, "interior slope of a ditch," hence any sharp, steep slope, from Italian scarpa "slope," which is probably from a Germanic source, perhaps Gothic skarpo "pointed object," from Proto-Germanic *skarpa- "cutting, sharp," source also of Middle High German schroffe "sharp rock, crag," Old English scræf "cave, grave" (from PIE root *sker- (1) "to cut"). Compare escarpment.
escarpment n.
1802, from French escarpment, from escarper "make into a steep slope," from escarpe "slope," from Italian scarpa (see scarp). Earlier in same sense was escarp.