cascade

American  

[kas-keyd] / kæsˈkeɪd /

noun

1. a waterfall descending over a steep, rocky surface.

2. a series of shallow or steplike waterfalls, either natural or artificial.

3. anything that resembles a waterfall, especially in seeming to flow or fall in abundance.

   a cascade of roses covering the wall.

4. (in a drain or sewer) a chain of steps for dissipating the momentum of falling water in a steep place in order to maintain a steady rate of flow.

5. an arrangement of a lightweight fabric in folds falling one over another in random or zigzag fashion.

6. a type of firework resembling a waterfall in effect.

7. Chemistry. a series of vessels, from each of which a fluid successively overflows to the next, thus presenting a large absorbing surface, as to a gas.

8. Electricity. an arrangement of component devices, as electrolytic cells, each of which feeds into the next in succession.

9. Biochemistry. a series of reactions catalyzed by enzymes that are activated sequentially by successive products of the reactions, resulting in an amplification of the initial response.

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verb (used without object)

cascaded, cascading

1. to fall in or like a cascade.

verb (used with object)

cascaded, cascading

1. to cause to fall in a cascade.

2. Electricity. to arrange (components) in a cascade.

cascade British  

/ kæsˈkeɪd /

noun

1. a waterfall or series of waterfalls over rocks

2. something resembling this, such as folds of lace

3. 1. a consecutive sequence of chemical or physical processes

   2. ( as modifier )

      cascade liquefaction

4. 1. a series of stages in the processing chain of an electrical signal where each operates the next in turn

   2. ( as modifier )

      a cascade amplifier

5. the cumulative process responsible for the formation of an electrical discharge, cosmic-ray shower, or Geiger counter avalanche in a gas

6. the sequence of spontaneous decays by an excited atom or ion

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verb

1. (intr) to flow or fall in or like a cascade

cascade Scientific  

/ kăs-kād′ /

1. A series of chemical or physiological processes that occur in successive stages, each of which is dependent on the preceding one, to produce a culminating effect. The steps involved in the clotting of blood occur as a cascade.

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Other Word Forms

• cascader
  noun
• uncascaded
  adjective
• uncascading
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of cascade

First recorded in 1635–45; from French, from Italian cascata, from casc(are) “to fall” (from Vulgar Latin cāsicāre (unrecorded), from cās(us) “fallen,” past participle of cadere “to fall”; cf. cadenza, case ¹) + -ata -ade ¹

Explanation

Think of a cascade as something suddenly falling, tumbling down in a rush. The word cascade conjures up a vision of anything falling in a manner resembling a waterfall — think of a cascade of shining hair, a sudden cascade of tears, or the cascade of light during a meteor shower. The idea behind the word is of something falling in a progressive manner or a series of steps. A downward progression of musical themes can be called a cascade, as can the disastrous cascade of the tumbling price of a stock on Wall Street.

Example Sentences

After huge equity issuance in the years preceding, there was a tidal wave of IPO lock-up periods expiring that created a never-ending cascade of selling, Jones recalls.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026

It was the stuff of movie fantasy - a digger gouging earth on a building site suddenly revealing a cascade of gold.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

Corporate security leaders will need to “prepare to respond to more incidents”—and worry about how their employees will even deal with this sudden cascade of security concerns.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

The uptick could cascade into concerns about corporate credit more broadly, researchers wrote, especially for borrowers involved in the artificial intelligence boom.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

First a cascade of shrew-like creatures with canine fangs, soaking wet, a dozen of them, and then a great horde of what looked like large green-horned squirrels, wailing and crying out—“Run! Run!” —as they went.

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell

Related Words

• descend
• gush
• overflow
• pour
• spew
• spill
• tumble