Webster's English Dictionary

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catastrophe

Cross references:
  1. disaster              
 
ca.tas.tro.phe \k*-'tas-tr*-(.)fe-\ \.kat-*-'stra:f-ik\ \-i-k(*-)le-\ n [Gk 
   katastrophe-, fr. katastrephein to overturn, fr. kata-] + strephein to turn 
   1: the final event of the dramatic action esp. of a tragedy  2: a momentous 
   tragic event ranging from extreme misfortune to utter overth row or ruin 3: 
   a violent and sudden change in a feature of the earth  4: utter failure : 
   FIASCO  - cat.a.stroph.ic aj