- pronunciation:
- k
tae
str
fi
- features:
- Word History, Word Explorer, Word Parts
| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
A catastrophe is a very terrible event that brings great harm, suffering, or loss, especially to a large area or many people.
The fire was a catastrophe that destroyed much of the city and took many lives.- synonyms:
- disaster
- similar words:
- ruin, tragedy
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| definition 2: |
Catastrophe is a very terrible result or ending to something.
The war brought catastrophe to the whole region.The building project for the new indoor stadium ended in catastrophe when the roof collapsed.- similar words:
- failure, ruin, tragedy, wreck
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| related words: |
blow |
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| derivations: |
catastrophic (adj.), catastrophically (adv.) |
Catastrophe is from a Greek word that means "overturning" or complete change. It referred to the ending of a play, or the outcome of certain events. The ending could be either happy or tragic. "Catastrophe" is now mostly used for a tragic event.