a sudden and widespread disaster: the catastrophe of war.
2.
any misfortune, mishap, or failure; fiasco: The play was so poor our whole evening was a catastrophe.
3.
a final event or conclusion, usually an unfortunate one; a disastrous end: the great catastrophe of the Old South at Appomattox.
4.
(in a drama) the point at which the circumstances overcome the central motive, introducing the close or conclusion; dénouement. Compare catastasis, epitasis, protasis.
5.
Geology. a sudden, violent disturbance, esp. of a part of the surface of the earth; cataclysm.
6.
Also called catastrophe function.Mathematics. any of the mathematical functions that describe the discontinuities that are treated in catastrophe theory.
[Origin: 1570–80; < Gk katastroph an overturning, akin to katastréphein to overturn. See cata-, strophe]
A complete failure; a fiasco: The food was cold, the guests quarreled—the whole dinner was a catastrophe.
The concluding action of a drama, especially a classical tragedy, following the climax and containing a resolution of the plot.
A sudden violent change in the earth's surface; a cataclysm.
[Greek katastrophē, an overturning, ruin, conclusion, from katastrephein, to ruin, undo : kata-, cata- + strephein, to turn; see streb(h)- in Indo-European roots.]
1540, "reversal of what is expected" (especially a fatal turning point in a drama), from Gk. katastrephein "to overturn," from kata "down" + strephein "turn." Extension to "sudden disaster" is first recorded 1748. Catastrophism as a geological or biological theory is from 1869.
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune; "the whole city was affected by the irremediable calamity"; "the earthquake was a disaster" [syn: calamity]
2.
a state of extreme (usually irremediable) ruin and misfortune; "lack of funds has resulted in a catastrophe for our school system"; "his policies were a disaster"
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Audio Help [kuh-tas-truh-fee] Pronunciation Key 
an overturning, akin to katastréphein to overturn. See cata-, strophe
