Cascading
/kæˈskeɪ.dɪŋ/noun
Falling, flowing, or spreading in a series of linked stages or layers.
Did you know?Cascading comes from the same Italian root as words for a waterfall, and its image of one thing tumbling into another made it a favorite word for describing unstoppable chains of events.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
Italian
cascata
“A waterfall or something that falls in a sheet or series”
16th Century
Italian
cascare
“To fall”
17th Century
French
cascade
“A waterfall; a steep, tumbling fall of water”
18th Century
English
cascade
“A waterfall or a series of small falls”
Modern English
English
cascading
“Falling or spreading in a series of linked stages”