1835, "to reach the highest point," from climax (n.). Related: Climaxed; climaxing.

1580s, in the rhetorical sense (a chain of reasoning in graduating steps from weaker to stronger), from Late Latin climax (genitive climacis), from Greek klimax "propositions rising in effectiven [..]

An orgasm or to have an orgasm.

The moment in a play, novel, short story, or narrative poem at which the crisis reaches its point of greatest intensity and is thereafter resolved. It is also the peak of emotional response from a rea [..]

Also known as auxesis and crescendo, this refers to an artistic arrangement of a list of items so that they appear in a sequence of increasing importance. See rhetorical schemes for more information. [..]

the culminating stage of plant succession in a given ecosystem. Climax communities tend toward maturity because of having attained harmony with their surroundings through years of experimentation and adaptation. See Succession.

the highest point of anything conceived of as growing or developing or unfolding; "the climax of the artist's career"; "in the flood tide of his succ [..]

The turning point of the action in the plot of a play or story. The climax represents the point of greatest tension in the work. The climax of John Updike's "A&P," for example, occurs when Sammy quits his job as a cashier.

The turning point of the action in the plot of a play or story. The climax represents the point of greatest tension in the work. The climax of John Updike's "A & P," for example, occurs when Sammy quits his job as a cashier.

the third part of plot, the point at which the action stops rising and begins falling or reversing; also called turning point or (following Aristotle) peripeteia. See also crisis.

(gradation) - an ascending series or scale when the ideas are presented in the order of rising importance. "Janet Spence's parlour-maid was ugly on purpose...,

 –  the highest point of conflict; the point at which the action begins to fall to resolution (denouement)

the turning point in a literary work

The most important event in the story or play

the highest point of anxiety or tension in a story or film in which the central character/protagonist faces, confronts, and deals with the consequence(s) of all his/her actions, or faces the antagonis [..]

The turning point in fiction; the transition from rising to falling action.

Stage of relative stability attained by a community of organisms, often the culminating development of a natural succession. Also, orgasm. climax community

a more or less stable community which is in equilibrium with the existing natural environment, e.g a forest. The culminating stage in the ecological succession or evolution of a plant/animal community [..]

(n) the highest point of anything conceived of as growing or developing or unfolding(n) the decisive moment in a novel or play(n) the moment of most intense pleasure in sexual intercourse(n) the most [..]

An assumed final state of stability in the reconstitution of a destroyed ecosystem.

The culminating stage in plant succession for a given site. Climax vegetation is stable, self-maintaining, and self-reproducing.

The other end of the controlling idea. The climax of a film or TV programme expresses the controlling idea of a story. The climax is also the other end of the inciting incident: because the inciting i [..]

the point of highest intensity, catharsis, and suspense just before a resolution.

The peak of sexual response. Also known as orgasm.

arrangement of words, phrases, or clauses in increasing order of power

the moment of greatest intensity in a work of fiction; the most exciting and important part of a story, usually occurring at or near the end. The climax is the turning point in the action.

The peak of sexual response. Also known as orgasm.

The climax is the most intense part of the story—when everything hits the fan, and you're not quite sure yet how it's all going to play out. On Freytag's triangle, a diagram we use to t [..]