Sekirov Dictionary

climax

/ˈklaɪ.mæks/

noun 7
verb 2
adjective 1
forms 6

noun7

•
The culmination of a narrative's rising action, the turning point.
- As a trafficker in climaxes and thrills and characterization and wonderful dialogue and suspense and confrontations, I had outlined the Dresden story many times. — 1969
•
A culmination or acme: the last term in an ascending series.
- In the accomplishment of this, they frequently reach the climax of absurdity. — 1789
•
(rhetoric) The final term of a rhetorical climax.
- When he adds epithets of praise, his climax is ‘so English’. — 1856
•
(euphemistic) The culmination of sexual pleasure, an orgasm.
- In many cases the man's climax comes so swiftly that the woman's reactions are not nearly ready. — 1918
•
A rhetorical device in which a series is arranged in ascending order.
- Climax, by steps advancing, onward goes Higher and still more high to an impassion'd close. — 1835
A relatively stable community of organisms, resulting from ecological succession, a successful adaptation to a relatively stable environment.
•
(no longer used) An instance of such an ascending series.
- […]Expressions for the whole Climax of sensibility[…] — 1781

verb2

•
To reach or bring to a climax (in any sense).
- All our memories are burning in time / Like a bittersweet perfume / Can you tell me how a love that's so fine / Could have climaxed in a single afternoon? — 1978
To form the climax to; to be the climax of.

adjective1

•
Being a climax species or climax community of organisms; able to remain essentially unchanged (in terms of the portion of the species in its area it constitutes) as long as its site remains unchanged.
- [page 412:] […] evidence that beech is more climax than hemlock in this area (Brown and Curtis 1952). [page 417:] beech in this area is as climax as sugar maple. — 1956

forms

climaxed · climaxing · climaxes · climaces · more climax · most climax

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