Kolaps

Kolaps is a term used in several Slavic languages, including Croatian, Serbian, Slovenian, and Bosnian, to denote a sudden failure or breakdown of a system. It is applied across various domains, such as medicine, engineering, economics, politics, and ecology. In medical contexts, kolaps typically refers to a rapid loss of consciousness or a collapse of physiological function, often due to inadequate blood flow to the brain, severe illness, or significant blood loss. In non-medical contexts, the term describes a abrupt transition from a functioning state to a non-functional one, usually after prolonged stress, overload, or shock, and can describe the failure of structures, markets, governments, or ecosystems.

Etymology and usage vary by language. Kolaps is a loanword in many languages, generally reflecting the English or German word for collapse, with spelling variants such as kolaps or kollaps. The term is distinguished from related expressions in some languages by its focus on abrupt, large-scale failure rather than gradual decline. In technical fields, more precise terms may be preferred (for example, structural failure, syncope, or systemic crisis), but kolaps remains a common, broad descriptor in everyday language and discourse. Related concepts include collapse, breakdown, and failure, which appear in similar contexts across disciplines.