catastrophe theory
nounMathematics.
a theory, based on topology, for studying discontinuous processes and the mathematical models that describe them.
Origin of catastrophe theory
1First recorded in 1970–75
Words Nearby catastrophe theory
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for catastrophe theory
catastrophe theory
noun
a mathematical theory that classifies surfaces according to their form
the popular application of this theory to the explanation of abruptly changing phenomena, as by the discontinuity of a line on the topmost fold of a folded surface
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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