Main Entry: ca·tas·tro·phe

Pronunciation: \kə-ˈtas-trə-(ˌ)fē\

Function: 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 overthrow or ruin
3 a : a violent and sudden change in a feature of the earth b : a violent usually destructive natural event (as a supernova)
4 : utter failure : fiasco <the party was a catastrophe>

— cat·a·stroph·ic \ˌka-tə-ˈsträ-fik\ adjective

— cat·a·stroph·i·cal·ly \-fi-k(ə-)lē\ adverb