Catastrophe Definition
kə-tăstrə-fē
catastrophes
noun
catastrophes
A disastrous end, bringing overthrow or ruin.
Webster's New World
Any great and sudden calamity, disaster, or misfortune.
Webster's New World
The culminating event of a drama, esp. of a tragedy, by which the plot is resolved; denouement.
Webster's New World
A total or ignominious failure.
Webster's New World
A sudden, violent change, such as an earthquake.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
Origin of Catastrophe
-
Greek katastrophē an overturning, ruin, conclusion from katastrephein to ruin, undo kata- cata- strephein to turn streb(h)- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Ancient Greek καταστροφή (katastrophē), from καταστρέφω (katastrephō, “I overturn”), from κατά (kata, “down, against”) + στρέφω (strephō, “I turn”)
From Wiktionary
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