Falling, flowing, or rushing downward like a waterfall. Used to describe things that fall or occur in a series or sequence.
From Italian 'cascata' meaning waterfall, derived from 'cascare' meaning 'to fall'. The metaphorical use expanded from describing literal waterfalls to any sequential falling or flowing process.
The word beautifully captures how one event can trigger a chain reaction, like dominoes falling or a waterfall's endless descent. In technology, 'cascading style sheets' (CSS) use this metaphor because styles flow down through layers of web page elements.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.