catastrophe (noun)
1catastrophe — ► NOUN ▪ an event causing great damage or suffering. DERIVATIVES catastrophic adjective. ORIGIN Greek katastroph overturning, sudden turn …
2catastrophe — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ absolute, big, complete, great, major, terrible, total ▪ minor ▪ national …
3catastrophe — noun (C, U) 1 a terrible event in which there is a lot of destruction or many people are injured or die: the catastrophe of a worldwide conflict | The oil spill threatens an unparalleled ecological catastrophe. 2 an event or situation which is… …
4catastrophe — I noun accident, adversity, affliction, calamitas, calamity, cataclysm, collapse, contretemps, debacle, decimation, desolation, destruction, devastation, disaster, downfall, emergency, eradication, extinction, great misfortune, hardship, havoc,… …
5catastrophe adjuster — UK US (also catastrophe adjustor) noun [C] ► INSURANCE someone who works for an insurance company and whose job is to decide how much to pay someone who has been badly affected by a serious accident or event …
6catastrophe theory — noun : mathematical theory and conjecture concerned with the use of topology to explain events (as an earthquake or a stock market crash) characterized by major abrupt changes * * * caˈtastrophe theory 7 [catastrophe theory] noun uncountable ( …
7catastrophe — 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 …
8catastrophe bond — UK US noun [C] ► FINANCE a type of investment that pays a high rate of interest unless there is a natural disaster, such as a flood, forest fire, etc. If this happens, the investment is lost and the money is used to help the people affected …
9catastrophe — noun the flood of ’82 was the worst catastrophe in the town s history Syn: disaster, calamity, cataclysm, holocaust, havoc, ruin, ruination, tragedy; adversity, blight, trouble, trial, tribulation …
10catastrophe theory — noun Date: 1971 mathematical theory and conjecture that uses topology to explain events (as an earthquake or a stock market crash) characterized by major abrupt changes …
