/ ˈkraɪsɪs; NAmE / noun [ C , U ] ( pl. cri·ses / -siːz; NAmE /)
1.
a time of great danger, difficulty or confusion when problems must be solved or important decisions must be made :
a political / financial crisis
the government's latest economic crisis
The business is still in crisis but it has survived the worst of the recession.
The Communist Party was facing an identity crisis .
an expert in crisis management
We provide help to families in crisis situations.
In times of crisis I know which friends I can turn to.
The party was suffering a crisis of confidence among its supporters (= they did not trust it any longer) .
—see also midlife crisis
2.
a time when a problem, a bad situation or an illness is at its worst point :
Their marriage has reached crisis point.
The fever has passed its crisis.
—see also critical
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (denoting the turning point of a disease): medical Latin , from Greek krisis decision, from krinein decide. The general sense decisive point dates from the early 17th cent.