cătăracta (also cătarracta), ae, f. (cătarractes, ae, m., Plin. and Sol.; v. the foll.), = ὁ καταρράκτης or καταράκτης.
I Lit., a waterfall , in gen.; the waterfalls of the Euphrates , Plin. 5, 24, 20, § 85.—Hence,
B Meton. and κατʼ ἐξοχήν, the celebrated fall of the Nile on the southern borders of Egypt , the Cataract : novissimo catarracte, Plin. 5, 9, 10, § 54.— Acc. catarracten, Plin. 5, 9, 10, § 59; Sol. 32: pervenit ad cataractam, Vitr. 8, 2, 6.— Plur. fem. : cataractae, nobilis insigni spectaculo locus, Sen. Q. N. 4, 2, 4: praecipites cataractae, Luc. 10, 317; Amm. 22, 15, 9.—
II In milit. lang., a drawbridge , portcullis , Veg. Mil. 4, 4; Liv. 27, 28, 10 and 11.—
III A water-sluice , floodgate , Plin. Ep. 10, 61 (69), 4; Rutil. 1, 481 Zumpt.—
IV A waterbird (that pounces down quickly), Plin. 10, 44, 61, § 126.