cataclysm

(kăt'ə-klĭz'əm)
n.

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.]

cataclysmic cat'a·clys'mic (-klĭz'mĭk) or cat'a·clys'mal (-klĭz'məl) adj.
cataclysmically cat'a·clys'mi·cal·ly adv.

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noun

1. An occurrence inflicting widespread destruction and distress: calamity, catastrophe, disaster, tragedy. See help/harm/harmless.
2. A momentous or sweeping change: convulsion, revolution, upheaval. See change/persist.
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. See big/small/amount.

n

Definition: disaster
Antonyms: boon, good fortune, happiness, miracle, wonder

IN BRIEF: A violent natural or social event.

Everyone thought the earthquake was a major cataclysm.

Tutor's tip: The "cataclysm" (major disaster or war) resulted in a "cataclasm" (disruption) of the "catechism" (instruction in Christian beliefs given in a question-and-answer format) classes.

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For a list of words related to cataclysm, see:

• Processes, Phenomena, Events, and Techniques - cataclysm: great upheaval that causes sudden, violent changes in Earth
• Fate - cataclysm: violent upheaval, usu. at end of the world

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See words rhyming with "cataclysm."

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - syndflod, jordskælv, kataklysme

Nederlands (Dutch)
cataclysme, grote ommekeer

Français (French)
n. - (Géog, fig) cataclysme

Deutsch (German)
n. - Naturkatastrophe, Umwälzung

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - κατακλυσμός

Italiano (Italian)
cataclisma

Português (Portuguese)
n. - cataclismo (m)

Русский (Russian)
катаклизм

Español (Spanish)
n. - cataclismo, terremoto

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - naturkatastrof, syndaflod, omstörtning (pol.)

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
大洪水, 大变动, 地震

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 大洪水, 大變動, 地震

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 대홍수, 지각변동, 격변

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 大洪水, 大変動, 地震, 大動乱

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) كارثه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮מהפך, שיטפון, רעידת-אדמה, שואה‬

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