English Explanatory Dictionary

catastrophe

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any large and disastrous event of great significance.
  2. A disaster beyond expectations.
  3. The dramatic event that initiates the resolution of the plot; the dénouement.
  4. A type of bifurcation, where a system shifts between two stable states.

Pronunciation

/kəˈtæstɹəfi/ En-us-catastrophe.ogg

Word forms

catastrophe catastrophes catastrophë

Etymology

From Ancient Greek καταστροφή (katastrophḗ), from καταστρέφω (katastréphō, “to overturn”), from κατά (katá, “down, against”) + στρέφω (stréphō, “to turn”).

Related words

anastrophe apostrophe cataclysm catastrophic catastrophism catastrophist metastrophe

Derived words

Carter catastrophe castrophony catastrophal catastrophe bond catastrophe theory catastrophin catastrophize cat bond climatastrophe climate catastrophe cosy catastrophe cowtastrophe cozy catastrophe disastrophe ecocatastrophe error catastrophe eucatastrophe oxygenation catastrophe oxygen catastrophe supercatastrophe ultraviolet catastrophe vacuum catastrophe
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