n.
Pronunciation: ' kl ī - ˌ maks
Function: noun
Etymology: Late Latin, from Greek klimax, literally, ladder, from klinein to lean
Date: circa 1550
1 : a figure of speech in which a series of phrases or sentences is arranged in ascending order of rhetorical forcefulness
2 a : the highest point : CULMINATION <the climax of a distinguished career> b : the point of highest dramatic tension or a major turning point in the action (as of a play) c : ORGASM d : MENOPAUSE
3 : a relatively stable ecological stage or community especially of plants that is achieved through successful adaptation to an environment especially : the final stage in ecological succession
synonyms see SUMMIT
– cli · max · less adjective