álgido

critical

adjective AHL-hee-doh Rare

Origin: From Latin algidus (cold), later shifted semantically.

Also means

peak

Usage Note

Álgido has undergone a notable semantic shift: its classical meaning was 'very cold' (from Latin), but in modern Spanish — particularly in formal and journalistic registers — it is widely used to mean 'most intense' or 'climactic', as in el momento álgido ('the peak moment'). Purists object to the newer sense, but it is now standard in practice.

Examples

"Llegamos al momento álgido de la negociación."

Natural Translation

We reached the critical moment of the negotiation.

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