cataract
English · Thesaurus
AI In plain words
Writing a short explanation…
Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
cataract¹
- /ˈkætəɹækt/ UK
- /ˈkætəˌɹæk(t)/ US
Where it comes from
PIE word
*ḱóm
The noun is derived from cataracts (noun (plural only)), from Late Middle English cataract, cataracta, cateract, cateracte (“floodgate of heaven”), from Old French cataracte (modern French cataracte), and from its etymon Latin cataracta (“floodgate; waterfall”), from Ancient Greek καταρ(ρ)άκτης (katar(rh)áktēs, “(noun) waterfall; (adjective) rushing downwards”), from καταρ(ρ)ᾱ́σσω (katar(rh)ā́ssō, “to pour down; to rush downwards”) + -της (-tēs, suffix forming nouns denoting a state of being). Καταρ(ρ)ᾱ́σσω (Katar(rh)ā́ssō) is derived either:
* from κᾰτᾰ- (kătă-, prefix meaning ‘downwards’) + ἀρᾰ́σσω (arắssō, “to dash to pieces; to strike”) (further etymology unknown, possibly onomatopoeic) or ῥᾱ́σσω (rhā́ssō, “to dash; to strike”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wreh₂ǵʰ- (“to pound, strike”)); or
* from καταρρηγνύναι (katarrhēgnúnai, “to break down”).
The verb is derived from the noun.
noun cataracts
- A (large) waterfall, specifically one flowing over the edge of a cliff. The cataracts on the Nile helped to compartment Upper Egypt.
- A flood of water; specifically, steep rapids in a river. [S]uch a violent ſtorme of raine vnburthened it ſelfe neere this place, and cauſed ſuch a ſudden Deluge and Cattaract, that a Carrauan of tvvo thouſand Camels periſht, and vvere caſt avvay by it.
- An overwhelming downpour or rush; a flood. His cataract of eloquence
- A type of governor used in single-acting steam engines, where a flow of water through an opening regulates the stroke.
-
Synonym of waterspout (“a whirlwind that forms over water”).
They ſay furthermore that in certeyne places of the ſea, they ſawe certeyne ſtremes of water which they caule ſpoutes faulynge owt of the ayer into the ſea: […] Sum phantaſie that theſe ſhulde bee the cataractes of heauen whiche were all opened at Noes fludde.
Similar: waterspout
verb cataracts · cataracting · cataracted
- Of a river, etc.: to fall in the form of a waterfall. [N]o river should cataract larger than the Clyde.
- To cause (something) to pour or rush like a waterfall. My Poems have been reviewed. The Monthly has cataracted panegyric on me; the Critical cascaded it, and the Analytical dribbled it with civility.
cataract²
- /ˈkætəɹækt/ UK
- /ˈkætəˌɹæk(t)/ US
Where it comes from
From Late Middle English cataract, cataracta, cateract, cateracte (“(medicine) clouding of the lens in the eye”), from Old French cataracte (“clouding of the lens in the eye”), and then either:
* from its etymon Latin cataracta (“portcullis”) (in the sense of something blocking vision as a portcullis blocks a gateway), from Ancient Greek καταρ(ρ)άκτης (katar(rh)áktēs, “act of rushing down; portcullis”) (see further at etymology 1); or
* from clāthrāta (in fenestra clāthrāta (“window grating”)), an inflected form of clāthrātus (“grated, latticed, clathrate”), from clāthrī (“grate, lattic”) + -ātus (suffix denoting possession of something, forming adjectives from nouns). Clāthrī is derived from Doric Greek κλᾷθρα (klāîthra), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kleh₂w- (“crook, hook; peg; to close something”).
noun cataracts
-
Synonym of portcullis (“a gate in the form of a grating which is lowered into place at the gateway of a castle, a fort, etc.”); also, a window grating.
Others did fortifie and rampire their Walls, […] assured the Port-culleys, fasten'd the Herses, Sarasinesks and Cataracks, placed their Centries, and doubled their Patrouilee.
Similar: portcullis
- A clouding of the lens in the eye leading to a decrease in vision. [T]her is a Caratact which doth light vpon the eyes of a Hawke, whome we may tearme a ſuffuſion, a miſchiefe not ſafely remoued, and diuers times impoſſible to be recured, as namely whẽ [when] it is growen too thicke, and ouerlong hath bin ſuffered in the eye, without ſeeking remedie for it: […]
- Something which obscures. Thoſe filmes vvhich darkened the eye of the mindes, are remoued, thoſe thicke Cataracts of earthly vanities are diſperſed and diſpelled, and a nevv light into a nevv heart infuſed.
- A tool used for breaking flax; a brake. Some modern Pantagruelists, to shun and avoid that manual Labour, which such a separating and partitional Work would of necessity require, employ certain Catarratick Instruments, […] and athwart those Cataracts they break and bruise to very Trash the woody parcels [of the fictional herb “pantagrueli
Cataract³
proper noun
- A suburb of Wollongong in the Wollondilly council area and the Wollongong council area, New South Wales, Australia.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: falls, cascade, waterfall, rapids, torrent, chute, clouding, cloudiness, opacification, haze, deluge, flood, spate, downpour, opacity, film
Translations
Every language
noun (large) waterfall, specifically one flowing over the edge of a cliff (cognates) — see also waterfall
| Español | catarata |
|---|---|
| Português | catarata |
| Français | cataracte |
| Deutsch | Katarakt |
| Italiano | cateratta |
| Ελληνικά | καταρράκτης katarráktis |
| Română | cataractă |
noun flood of water — see also flood
| 日本語 | 激流 gekiryū |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 洪流 hóngliú |
| Русский | ли́вень lívenʹ, пото́п potóp, проливно́й дождь prolivnój doždʹ |
noun clouding of the lens in the eye
| Español | catarata |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 백내장 baengnaejang |
| 日本語 | 白内障 hakunaishō |
| 中文 | 白內障 /白内障 báinèizhàng |
| Kiswahili | mtoto wa jicho |
| Português | catarata |
| Français | cataracte |
| Deutsch | Katarakt, grauer Star |
| Italiano | cataratta |
| Ελληνικά | καταρράκτης katarráktis |
| Русский | катара́кта katarákta |
| Tiếng Việt | cườm khô |
| العربية | السَّادّ as-sādd, الْمَاء الْأَبْيَض al-māʔ al-ʔabyaḍ, إعْتَام عَدَسَة الْعَيْن |
| עברית | תְּבַלּוּל tvalúl |
Talk about this word "cataract." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/cataract. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. cataract. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/cataract "cataract." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/cataract.Cite this
@misc{cataract_2026,
title = {cataract},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/cataract},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
