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WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024ca•tas•tro•phe /kəˈtæstrəfi/USA pronunciation n. [countable]- a sudden and widespread disaster:The flood was a major catastrophe that killed thousands.
- a great misfortune or failure;
fiasco:Losing his job was a catastrophe to him. - Literaturethe point in a drama following the climax and introducing the conclusion.
See -stroph-. WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024ca•tas•tro•phe (kə tas′trə fē),USA pronunciation n. - a sudden and widespread disaster:the catastrophe of war.
- any misfortune, mishap, or failure; fiasco:The play was so poor our whole evening was a catastrophe.
- a final event or conclusion, usually an unfortunate one;
a disastrous end:the great catastrophe of the Old South at Appomattox. - Literature(in a drama) the point at which the circumstances overcome the central motive, introducing the close or conclusion;
dénouement. Cf. catastasis, epitasis, protasis. - Geologya sudden, violent disturbance, esp. of a part of the surface of the earth;
cataclysm. - MathematicsAlso called catas′trophe func′tion. any of the mathematical functions that describe the discontinuities that are treated in catastrophe theory.
- Greek katastrophé̄ an overturning, akin to katastréphein to overturn. See cata-, strophe
- 1570–80
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged misfortune, calamity.
- 1, 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged See disaster.
- 1, 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged triumph.
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