meltdown etymology

Etymology:

• Melt (verb): Old English "meltean," from Proto-Germanic *maltjan (to grind, melt), from Proto-Indo-European *melt-, *milt- (to grind).
• Down (noun): Old English "dūn," from Proto-Germanic *dūną, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰǵʰō- (downwards).

Meaning:

• A sudden and catastrophic collapse or failure.
• A state of extreme physical or emotional exhaustion.

Origin:

The term "meltdown" originally referred to a nuclear reactor accident in which the reactor core overheats and melts down. The term was first used in this context in the 1950s during the development of nuclear power plants.

Over time, the term "meltdown" has been applied metaphorically to a wide range of situations involving sudden and catastrophic failures or breakdowns. It is commonly used to describe:

• Economic collapses
• Political crises
• Personal or emotional breakdowns
• Physical or mental breakdowns

meltdown relate terms

• down

  Etymology The word down has origins in several Germanic languages Old English dun

• down

  Etymology The word down has origins in several Germanic languages Old English dun

• melt

  Etymology The word melt comes from the Old English word meltan which is related to t

• tragedy

  Etymology The word tragedy comes from the Ancient Greek word τραγωδία trago

• catastrophe

  Etymology The word catastrophe comes from the Ancient Greek καταστροφή ka

• disaster

  Etymology The word disaster comes from the Middle French word desastre which in turn

• nuclear

  Etymology The word nuclear is derived from the Latin word nucleus which means core

• pariah

  Etymology Latin paria equal match Old French parage lineage rank Middle Engl

• beauty

  Etymology The word beauty originates from the Old French word beauté which in turn

• bender

  Etymology Bender is of Yiddish origin Derived from the Yiddish word bendn meaning

• laconic

  Etymology From Ancient Greek λακωνικός lākōnikós meaning Laconic refe

• dauphin

  Etymology and Origin The word dauphin derives from the Latin word delphinus meaning