CRISIS


Meaning of CRISIS in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ ˈkrī-səs ]

noun

( plural cri·ses ˈkrī-ˌsēz)

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

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.