Definition of CLIMACTERIC

climacteric

Meanings

Plural: climacterics

Noun

  • a period in a man's life corresponding to menopause
  • the time in a woman's life in which the menstrual cycle ends
  • A critical stage or decisive point; a turning point.
  • A period in human life in which some great change is supposed to take place, calculated in different ways by different authorities (often identified as every seventh or ninth year).
  • The period of life that leads up to and follows the end of menstruation in women; the menopause.

Adj

  • Pertaining to any of several supposedly critical years of a person's life.
  • Critical or crucial; decisive.
  • Relating to a period of physiological change during middle age; especially, menopausal.
  • Climactic.

Origin / Etymology

From Latin clīmactēricus, from Koine Greek κλιμακτηρικός (klimaktērikós, “scale, progression, gradation”), from κλιμακτήρ (klimaktḗr).

Synonyms

change of life, menopause

Scrabble Score: 19

climacteric is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
climacteric is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
climacteric is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 24

climacteric is a valid Words With Friends word