cataclysm

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cataclysm

disaster; a violent upheaval, such as an earthquake; an extensive flood

Not to be confused with:

catechism – a book containing the principles of the Christian religion; a book of instruction in any subject

cat·a·clysm

(kăt′ə-klĭz′əm)

1. A violent upheaval that causes great destruction or brings about a fundamental change.

2. A violent and sudden change in the earth's crust.

3. A devastating flood.

[French cataclysme, from Latin cataclysmos, deluge, from Greek kataklusmos, from katakluzein, to inundate : kata-, intensive pref.; see cata- + kluzein, to wash away.]

cat′a·clys′mic (-klĭz′mĭk), cat′a·clys′mal (-klĭz′məl) adj.

cat′a·clys′mi·cal·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

cataclysm

(ˈkætəˌklɪzəm)

1. a violent upheaval, esp of a political, military, or social nature

2. (Physical Geography) a disastrous flood; deluge

3. (Geological Science) geology another name for catastrophe⁴

[C17: via French from Latin, from Greek kataklusmos deluge, from katakluzein to flood, from kluzein to wash]

ˌcataˈclysmic, ˌcataˈclysmal adj

ˌcataˈclysmically adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

cat•a•clysm

(ˈkæt əˌklɪz əm)

n.

1. any violent upheaval, esp. one of a social or political nature.

2. a sudden and violent physical action producing changes in the earth's surface.

3. an extensive flood; deluge.

[1625–35; < Late Latin cataclysmos (Vulgate) < Greek kataklysmós flood, n. derivative of kataklýzein to flood =kata- cata- + klýzein (of the sea) to wash over, surge]

cat`a•clys′mic, cat`a•clys′mal, adj.

cat`a•clys′mi•cal•ly, adv.

syn: See disaster.

cataclysm

any major disaster, as an earthquake, flood, etc. See also water. — cataclysmal, adj.

See also: Earthquakes

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	cataclysm - a sudden violent change in the earth's surface catastrophe geological phenomenon - a natural phenomenon involving the structure or composition of the earth nuclear winter - a long period of darkness and extreme cold that scientists predict would follow a full-scale nuclear war; a layer of dust and smoke in the atmosphere would cover the earth and block the rays of the sun; most living organisms would perish
	2.	cataclysm - an event resulting in great loss and misfortune; "the whole city was affected by the irremediable calamity"; "the earthquake was a disaster" calamity, catastrophe, tragedy, disaster misfortune, bad luck - unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event act of God, force majeure, inevitable accident, unavoidable casualty, vis major - a natural and unavoidable catastrophe that interrupts the expected course of events; "he discovered that his house was not insured against acts of God" apocalypse - a cosmic cataclysm in which God destroys the ruling powers of evil famine - a severe shortage of food (as through crop failure) resulting in violent hunger and starvation and death kiss of death - something that is ruinous; "if this were known it would be the kiss of death for my political career" meltdown - a disaster comparable to a nuclear meltdown; "there is little likelihood of a meltdown comparable to the American banking collapse in March 1933" plague - any large scale calamity (especially when thought to be sent by God) visitation - any disaster or catastrophe; "a visitation of the plague" tidal wave - an unusual (and often destructive) rise of water along the seashore caused by a storm or a combination of wind and high tide tsunami - a cataclysm resulting from a destructive sea wave caused by an earthquake or volcanic eruption; "a colossal tsunami destroyed the Minoan civilization in minutes"

cataclysm

noun disaster, collapse, catastrophe, upheaval, debacle, devastation, calamity the cataclysm that was overwhelming Europe before the Second World War

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

cataclysm

noun

1. An occurrence inflicting widespread destruction and distress:

calamity, catastrophe, disaster, tragedy.

2. A momentous or sweeping change:

convulsion, revolution, upheaval.

3. An abundant, usually overwhelming flow or fall, as of a river or rain:

alluvion, cataract, deluge, downpour, flood, freshet, inundation, Niagara, overflow, torrent.

Chiefly British: spate.

Translations

كارِثَه

katastrofapohromazkáza

katastrofeomvæltning

Kataklysmus verheerende Katastrophe

cataclysme

náttúruhamfarir

cataclisma

kataklizmaskatastrofiškas

kataklizma, stihiska nelaime

naturkatastrofe syndflod voldsom omveltning

cataclismo

катаклизм

kataklizma

âfetfelâket

大变动灾变

cataclysm

[ˈkætəklɪzəm] N → cataclismo m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

cataclysm

[ˈkætəklɪzəm] n → cataclysme m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

cataclysm

n → Verheerung f; (fig) → Umwälzung f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

cataclysm

[ˈkætəˌklɪz/əm] n → cataclisma m

cataclysm

(ˈkӕtəklizəm) noun

a violent disaster or upheaval; disaster.

ˌcataˈclysmic adjective

References in classic literature ?

With some men it needs a cataclysm, as a stone may be broken to fragments by the fury of a torrent; but with some it comes gradually, as a stone may be worn away by the ceaseless fall of a drop of water.

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The hour of the intended cataclysm was approaching apace.

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He bounded silently into the air, his whole being rent asunder as by a cataclysm.

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If a flood comes, the mountains will have long disappeared beneath the waves, while the birds will still be flying about; and if a single ark floats on the surface of the cataclysm, they will alight upon it, will float with it, will be present with it at the ebbing of the waters; and the new world which emerges from this chaos will behold, on its awakening, the thought of the world which has been submerged soaring above it, winged and living.

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These children had, doubtless, been too young to retain in their memories to transmit to their children any but the vaguest suggestion of the cataclysm which had overwhelmed their parents.

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It appeared from Fyne's narrative that the day before the first rumble of the cataclysm the questionable young man arrived unexpectedly in Brighton to stay with his "Aunt." To all outward appearance everything was going on normally; the fellow went out riding with the girl in the afternoon as he often used to do--a sight which never failed to fill Mrs.

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And they had been but the first warning impacts of universal cataclysm. Each day destruction and hate and disaster grew, the fissures widened between man and man, new regions of the fabric of civilisation crumbled and gave way.

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No cataclysm of nature had caused this, but, rather, the tyranny of the labour unions.

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Another set pretended that out of one thousand new moons that had been observed, nine hundred and fifty had been attended with remarkable disturbances, such as cataclysms, revolutions, earthquakes, the deluge, etc.

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"She goes about her business indifferent to wars, revolutions, and cataclysms. What a wife she'll make to an honest man!"

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Who can say the cause, the reason, the motive force of these cataclysms?"

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But what was this portion of the globe which had been swallowed by cataclysms? Who had placed those rocks and stones like cromlechs of prehistoric times?