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