different between adversity vs downfall

English

Etymology

From Old French adversité, from Latin adversit?tem, the accusative singular of adversit?s, from adversus, the perfect passive participle of advert? (“I turn toward”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /æd?v?.s?.ti/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /æd?v??.s?.ti/
• Hyphenation: ad?ver?si?ty

Noun

adversity (usually uncountable, plural adversities)

1. (uncountable) The state of adverse conditions; state of misfortune or calamity.
2. (countable) An event that is adverse; calamity.

Synonyms

• nakba

Antonyms

• (adverse event): fortuity

Related terms

• adverse
• adversely

Translations

English

Etymology

From down- +? fall. In this spelling, from 16th century; spelled as two words from 13th century.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?da?nf??l/

Noun

downfall (countable and uncountable, plural downfalls)

1. A precipitous decline in fortune; death or rapid deterioration, as in status or wealth.

   Synonyms: (precipitous decline in fortune) fall, (death or rapid deterioration) doom
2. The cause of such a fall; a critical blow or error.
   • Orson Scott Card

     It is the downfall of evil, that it never sees far enough ahead.

3. An act of falling down.

Derived terms

• Operation Downfall

Translations

Verb

downfall (third-person singular simple present downfalls, present participle downfalling, simple past downfell, past participle downfallen)

1. (intransitive) To fall down; deteriorate; decline.
   • 1998, Peter Vink, Ernst A. P. Koningsveld, Steven Dhondt, Human factors in organizational design and management-VI:

     Common belief has been that in the future the number of middle managers will downfall due to empowerment and team-building.

   • 1998, Lithuanian physics journal:

     It should be noted that the magnitude of satellites decreases when tuning out of degeneracy, and in the wavelength range of 1.2-1.3 pm it downfalls to the value of 10-15% of the main spike magnitude.

Derived terms

• down-fallen, downfallen

Anagrams

• Wolfland, fall down, landfowl