Main Entry: cri·sis

Pronunciation: \ˈkrī-səs\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): 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