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May 25, 2019 Word of the Day

catastrophe /kəˈtæstrəfi/ noun
catastrophe
/kəˈtæstrəfi/
noun

plural catastrophes

The oil spill was an environmental catastrophe.
The oil spill was an environmental catastrophe.
Definition of CATASTROPHE

: a terrible disaster

[count]

  • The oil spill was an environmental catastrophe.

  • Experts fear a humanitarian catastrophe if food isn’t delivered to the refugees soon.

  • global/nuclear/economic catastrophe

[noncount]

  • an area on the brink of catastrophe

— catastrophic kætəˈstrɑːfɪk adjective [more catastrophic; most catastrophic]

  • The effect of the war on the economy was catastrophic.

  • a catastrophic drought

— catastrophically ˌkætəˈstrɑːfɪkli adverb

  • The dam failed catastrophically, flooding the entire valley.

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