Gad
it
Kids
English
Sign in
Kids
EN
cataclysm
Definitions
1
noun
A
large-scale
and
violent
event
in
the
natural
world
,
such
as
a
flood
or
earthquake
.
The
asteroid
impact
was
a
cataclysm
that
changed
the
Earth's
climate
.
The
volcanic
eruption
was
a
cataclysm
that
devastated
the
island
.
Scientists
study
past
cataclysms
to
understand
their
impact
on
the
planet
.
Image
Kids' explanation
Compose a sentence
Save to Notebook
Quiz
Word games
Word Origin
Language
Greek
Original word
kataklysmos
Word parts
kata (down) + klyzein (to wash)
Originally meant
a deluge or flood
Background
The word 'cataclysm' comes from the Greek 'kataklysmos', which originally referred to a great flood or deluge. It entered English in the 17th century, expanding to mean any large-scale disaster.