cataract
noun
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Cataract dates to the 14th century and comes from the Latin word cataracta, meaning "portcullis." The Latin pertains to the ocular cataract, probably because it obstructs one's vision much like the portcullis's heavy iron grating obstructs passage into a fortress or castle. Cataracta has another meaning, however—"waterfall"—and that meaning gave English the water-related meanings that came in later centuries. The connection between the two Latin meanings can be seen in katarassein, the Greek source of cataracta. It means "to dash down," an action we see in both the slamming portcullis and the cascading waterfall.
Examples of cataract in a Sentence
Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
Alcon offers investors a way to play the growing demand for contact lenses and cataract surgery as society ages, according to Emily Leveille, portfolio manager at Thornburg Investment Management.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2024
One mother carries forward her young son, who is blinded by easily treatable cataracts.
—Charlie Campbell / Jakarta, TIME, 14 Oct. 2024
Many of his videos can be classified as philanthropic, including one in which Donaldson paid for 1,000 cataract surgeries.
—Max Hauptman, USA TODAY, 19 Sep. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Cataract.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cataract. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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cataract
noun
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cataract
noun
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