climactic

English

Etymology

From climax +‎ -ic.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌklaɪˈmæk.tɪk/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Adjective

climactic (comparative more climactic, superlative most climactic)

1. Of, pertaining to, or constituting a climax; reaching a decisive moment or point of greatest excitement.

   The race ended in a climactic, neck-and-neck scramble for the finish line.

   • 2023 March 14, Caryn James, “John Wick: Chapter 4: 'Soars above most action films'”, in BBC‎^[1]:

     And in Paris, Wick has a meeting with the Marquis, the Eiffel Tower providing a picturesque backdrop. A big, climactic scene is set on the steps and in the shadow of Sacré-Coeur.

Usage notes

• Do not confuse with climatic, which relates to climate.

Derived terms

• anticlimactic
• climactically
• disclimactic
• paraclimactic
• plagioclimactic
• postclimactic
• preclimactic
• unclimactic

 

Related terms

• climatic
• climax

Translations

Translations

• Dutch: climactisch (nl)
• German: klimaktisch
• Polish: klimaksowy m