CATASTROPHE


Meaning of CATASTROPHE in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ kə-ˈtas-trə-(ˌ)fē ]

noun

Etymology: Greek katastrophē, from katastrephein to overturn, from kata- + strephein to turn

Date: 1540

1. : the final event of the dramatic action especially of a tragedy

2. : a momentous tragic event ranging from extreme misfortune to utter overthrow or ruin

3.

a. : a violent and sudden change in a feature of the earth

b. : a violent usually destructive natural event (as a supernova)

4. : utter failure : fiasco

the party was a catastrophe

• cat·a·stroph·ic ˌka-tə-ˈsträ-fik adjective

• cat·a·stroph·i·cal·ly -fi-k(ə-)lē adverb

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.