Just as disaster can range from a calamitous event to one that is merely unsuccessful, catastrophe can refer to what is truly devastating as well as to what is simply deeply disheartening.

CATASTROPHE meaning: 1. a sudden event that causes very great trouble or destruction: 2. a bad situation: 3. a sudden…. Learn more.

Catastrophe or catastrophic comes from the Greek κατά (kata) = down; στροφή (strophē) = turning (Greek: καταστροφή). It may refer to the following:

Definition of catastrophe noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

catastrophe (kəˈtæstrəfɪ) n 1. a sudden, extensive, or notable disaster or misfortune

A catastrophe is an unexpected event that causes great suffering or damage. From all points of view, war would be a catastrophe.

Jan 20, 2026 · Noun catastrophe (countable and uncountable, plural catastrophes) Any large and disastrous event of great significance. The Chernobyl disaster was a catastrophe.

ca•tas•tro•phe /kəˈtæstrəfi/ 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 definition: A great, often sudden calamity.

CATASTROPHE definition: a sudden and widespread disaster. See examples of catastrophe used in a sentence.