| word | cataclysm |
|---|---|
| definition | (1) A violent and massive change of the earth's surface. (2) A momentous event that results in great upheaval and often destruction. |
| eg_sentence | World War I was a great cataclysm in modern history, marking the end of the old European social and political order. |
| explanation | The -clysm part of cataclysm comes from the Greek word meaning “to wash,” so cataclysm's original meaning was “flood, deluge,” and especially Noah's Flood itself. A cataclysm causes great and lasting changes. An earthquake or other natural disaster that changes the landscape is one kind of cataclysm, but a violent political revolution may also be a cataclysmic event. Many cataclysms could instead be called catastrophes |
| IPA | ˈkætəˌklɪsəm |
Tags: mwvb::unit:5, mwvb::unit:5:word, mwvb::word, mwvb::word-cloze, mwvb::word-reverse, obsidian_to_anki
Learn with these flashcards. Click next, previous, or up to navigate to more flashcards for this subject.
Next card: Catacombs underground christian cemetery connecting passageways recesses tombs
Previous card: Cata greek kata meanings catalogue list items put
Up to card list: Merriam-Webster Vocabulary Builder LITE (English)