/ ˈklɪfhæŋə(r); NAmE / noun
a situation in a story, film / movie, competition, etc. that is very exciting because you cannot guess what will happen next, or you do not find out immediately what happens next :
The first part of the serial ended with a real cliffhanger.
► cliff·hang·ing adjective
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WORD ORIGIN
1930s: from early film serials in which episodes ended with characters in desperate situations such as hanging off the edge of a cliff.