different between affliction vs cataclysm

English

Etymology

From Middle English affliction, affliccioun, from Old French afliction, from Latin afflictio, from affligere. See afflict.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??fl?k??n/
• Hyphenation: af?flic?tion

Noun

affliction (countable and uncountable, plural afflictions)

1. A state of pain, suffering, distress or agony.
2. Something which causes pain, suffering, distress or agony.
   • 1913, Willa Cather, O Pioneers!:

     She wore a man's long ulster (not as if it were an affliction, but as if it were very comfortable and belonged to her; carried it like a young soldier) [...]

Translations

French

Etymology

From Old French afliction, from Latin afflictio, from affligere.

Pronunciation

Noun

affliction f (plural afflictions)

1. (countable and uncountable) affliction

Further reading

• “affliction” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

English

Alternative forms

• cataclasm (dated)

Etymology

French cataclysme, from Latin cataclysmus, from Ancient Greek ??????????? (kataklusmós, “deluge, flood”), from ????????? (kataklúz?, “to dash over, flood, deluge, inundate”), from ???? (katá, “downwards, towards”) + ????? (klúz?, “to wash off, to wash away, to dash over”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?kæt??kl?zm?/

Noun

cataclysm (plural cataclysms)

1. A sudden, violent event.
2. (geology) A sudden and violent change in the earth's crust.
3. A great flood.

Derived terms

• cataclysmic

Related terms

• catastrophe

Translations