peripeteia

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromπεριπέτεια
2. Late Latin · derived fromperipetia
3. English todayperipeteia

From Late Latin peripetia, and its source Ancient Greek περιπέτεια (peripéteia), from περιπίπτω (peripíptō, “to change suddenly”), from περί (perí, “round, around, about”) + the stem of πίπτω (píptō, “to fall”).

First known use, by meaning

• from 16th c. Any sudden change in circumstances; a crisis.
• from 1960s A turning point in psychosocial development.