A cataclysm is an event that causes great change or harm. a violent or sudden event or change, such as a serious flood or earthquake (cataclysme, from , from , from kataklyzein , from kata- + klyzein )
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune; "the whole city was affected by the irremediable calamity"; "the earthquake was a disaster"
cataclysms
Pronunciation
Etymology
[ 'ka-t&-"kli-z&m ] (noun.) 1637. French cataclysme, from Latin cataclysmos, from Greek kataklysmos, from kataklyzein to inundate, from kata- + klyzein to wash; more at CLYSTER.