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Catastrophe

//kəˈtæstɹəfi// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Any large and disastrous event of great significance. countable, uncountable

    "The Chernobyl disaster was a catastrophe."

  2. 2
    an event resulting in great loss and misfortune wordnet
  3. 3
    A disaster beyond expectations. countable, uncountable
  4. 4
    a sudden violent change in the earth's surface wordnet
  5. 5
    The dramatic event that initiates the resolution of the plot; the dénouement. countable, uncountable

    "Pat : he comes like the Cataſtrophe of the old Comedie : my Cue is villanous Melancholly, with a ſighe like Tom o’ Bedlam."

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  1. 6
    a state of extreme (usually irremediable) ruin and misfortune wordnet
  2. 7
    A type of bifurcation, where a system shifts between two stable states. countable, uncountable

Etymology

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

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