noun
chaos
KAY-os
noun
1
Complete disorder and confusion.
"The office descended into chaos when the fire alarm went off."
"There was chaos at the airport after all flights were cancelled."
2
In mathematics and science, unpredictable behaviour in a system where tiny differences at the start lead to wildly different outcomes later.
"Chaos theory explains why weather forecasts become unreliable more than a week ahead."
How to Use Chaos
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA state of total disorder, where nothing is organised or predictable.
Common pairings
total chaos
descend into chaos
chaos theory
utter chaos
Word Forms
chaoses plural
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Etymology
From Ancient Greek khaos, meaning "vast chasm" or "void" — the formless emptiness that existed before creation in Greek myth.