cataclysm

• cataclasm (dated)

From French cataclysme, from Latin cataclysmus, from Ancient Greek κατακλυσμός (kataklusmós, “deluge, flood”), from κατακλύζω (kataklúzō, “to dash over, flood, deluge, inundate”), from κατά (katá, “downwards, towards”) + κλύζω (klúzō, “to wash off, to wash away, to dash over”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈkætəˌklɪzm̩/

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

cataclysm (plural cataclysms)

1. A sudden, violent event.
   • 2007, Naomi Klein, The Shock Doctrine, Metropolitan Books/Henry Holt, →ISBN, page 427:

     While the disaster capitalism complex does not deliberately scheme to create cataclysms on which it feeds (though Iraq may be a notable exception), there is plenty of evidence that its component industries work very hard indeed to make that current disastrous trends continue unchallenged.

2. (geology) A sudden and violent change in the earth's crust.
3. A great flood.

• Not to be confused with catechism.

• cataclysmic
• lunar cataclysm

• catastrophe