noun
cataract
KA-tuh-rakt
noun
1
A large waterfall, especially one that plunges over a steep drop.
"The Niagara cataract draws millions of visitors every year."
2
A clouding of the eye's lens that causes blurred vision, common in older age.
"She had surgery to remove a cataract from her left eye."
"Cataracts are one of the leading causes of vision loss worldwide."
How to Use Cataract
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a powerful waterfall, or the common eye condition that clouds the lens and blurs sight.
Common pairings
cataract surgery
cataract removal
a roaring cataract
Word Forms
cataracted past tense, cataracts plural, cataracts plural, cataracts singular
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Etymology
From Latin cataracta, "floodgate, waterfall," from Ancient Greek katarraktes, "rushing down" — the eye condition sense developed from the idea of a clouded, "waterfall-like" veil over vision.