craze

This term describes a sudden, explosive surge of popularity that typically vanishes as quickly as it arrived. It carries a connotation of superficiality or irrationality, suggesting a collective obsession that lacks long-term substance or utility. In a material context, the word refers to a specific type of structural failure where a surface develops a web of hairline fractures. This is distinct from a complete break or shatter, as it describes a superficial degradation of a glaze or finish.