n.
Pronunciation: ' kr ī -s ə s
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural cri · ses \ ' kr ī - ˌ s ē z \
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin, from Greek krisis, literally, decision, from krinein to decide ― more at CERTAIN
Date: 15th century
1 a : the turning point for better or worse in an acute disease or fever b : a paroxysmal attack of pain, distress, or disordered function c : an emotionally significant event or radical change of status in a person's life <a midlife crisis >
2 : the decisive moment (as in a literary plot)
3 a : an unstable or crucial time or state of affairs in which a decisive change is impending especially : one with the distinct possibility of a highly undesirable outcome <a financial crisis > b : a situation that has reached a critical phase <the environmental crisis >
synonyms see JUNCTURE