n.
Pronunciation: ( ˌ )kas- ' k ā d
Function: noun
Etymology: French, from Italian cascata, from cascare to fall, from Vulgar Latin *casicare, from Latin casus fall
Date: 1641
1 : a steep usually small fall of water especially : one of a series
2 a : something arranged or occurring in a series or in a succession of stages so that each stage derives from or acts upon the product of the preceding <blood clotting involves a biochemical cascade > b : a fall of material (as lace) that hangs in a zigzag line
3 : something falling or rushing forth in quantity <a cascade of sound> <a cascade of events>