n.
Pronunciation: ' ka-t ə - ˌ kli-z ə m
Function: noun
Etymology: French cataclysme, from Latin cataclysmos, from Greek kataklysmos, from kataklyzein to inundate, from kata- + klyzein to wash ― more at CLYSTER
Date: 1599
1 : FLOOD , DELUGE
2 : CATASTROPHE 3A
3 : a momentous and violent event marked by overwhelming upheaval and demolition broadly : an event that brings great changes
– cat · a · clys · mal \ ˌ ka-t ə - ' kliz-m ə l \ or cat · a · clys · mic \ -mik \ adjective
– cat · a · clys · mi · cal · ly \ -mi-k( ə -)l ē \ adverb