climacteric

²climacteric

noun

Definition of CLIMACTERIC

1

: a major turning point or critical stage

2

a : menopause b : a period in the life of a male corresponding to female menopause and usually occurring with less well-defined physiological and psychological changes

3

: the marked and sudden rise in the respiratory rate of fruit just prior to full ripening

Examples of CLIMACTERIC

1. <historians attempting to pinpoint the Roman Empire's climacteric, that precise moment when it began its long downhill slide>

First Known Use of CLIMACTERIC

circa 1630

Related to CLIMACTERIC

Synonyms: turning point, climax, corner, landmark, milepost, milestone, watershed

Related Words: break, capper, clincher, crusher, highlight, topper; conversion, metamorphosis, transfiguration, transformation, turnabout, turnaround; boiling point, breaking point, clutch, conjuncture, crisis, crossroad(s), crunch, crunch time, Dunkirk, emergency, exigency, extremity, flash point, head, juncture, zero hour

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Other Physiology Terms

eructation, flux, gustatory, menarche, myopia, senescence, torpor