English Meaning & Definitions
An event causing great and often sudden damage or suffering; a disaster.
- “The earthquake was a catastrophe that left thousands homeless.”
- “Timely intervention by the authorities averted a major financial catastrophe.”
The disastrous final event in a dramatic work or tragedy.
- “The play moves inexorably toward its dark catastrophe in the final act.”
- “Shakespearean tragedies typically end in a devastating catastrophe for the main characters.”
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “catastrophe”.
Derived from the Greek word katastrophē, meaning 'an overturning' or 'a sudden turn,' from kata- ('down') + strephein ('to turn'). Originally used in drama to describe the final resolution or turning point of a plot (especially a tragedy), its meaning broadened over time to encompass any great disaster or misfortune.
Imagine a cat knocking over a trophy (cat-trophy) on stage right before the final tragic scene of a play.
Frequently Asked Questions About “catastrophe”
1. What is the meaning of “catastrophe” in English?
In English, catastrophe (noun) is defined as: “An event causing great and often sudden damage or suffering; a disaster.”.
2. How do you use “catastrophe” in a sentence?
“The earthquake was a catastrophe that left thousands homeless.”
3. What are English synonyms of “catastrophe”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “catastrophe”?
Derived from the Greek word katastrophē, meaning 'an overturning' or 'a sudden turn,' from kata- ('down') + strephein ('to turn'). Originally used in drama to describe the final resolution or turning point of a plot (especially a tragedy), its meaning broadened over time to encompass any great disaster or misfortune.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.