A wave-cut cliff is a steep, vertical or near-vertical rock face formed by the erosive action of waves at the base of a coastal landform. Wave-cut cliffs are significant in coastal geomorphology for understanding the processes of marine erosion, the retreat of coastlines, and the formation of coastal features such as wave-cut platforms.
Reference: Trenhaile, A. S. (1987). “The Geomorphology of Rock Coasts.” Clarendon Press.