catastrophe

Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

ca·tas·trophe [catastrophe catastrophes] BrE [kəˈtæstrəfi] NAmE [kəˈtæstrəfi] noun
1. a sudden event that causes many people to suffer
Syn: ↑disaster
•Early warnings of rising water levels prevented another major catastrophe.
2. an event that causes one person or a group of people personal suffering, or that makes difficulties
•The attempt to expand the business was a catastrophe for the firm.
•We've had a few catastrophes with the food for the party.
Derived Words: ↑catastrophic ▪ ↑catastrophically

Word Origin:
mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘denouement’): from Latin catastropha, from Greek katastrophē ‘overturning, sudden turn’, from kata- ‘down’ + strophē ‘turning’ (from strephein ‘to turn’).

Example Bank:
•The country is on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe.
•These policies could lead the country to environmental catastrophe.
•We had a few catastrophes with the food for the party.
•moves to avert a national catastrophe
•It wouldn't be a catastrophe if he didn't turn up.
•The verdict of this hearing is a personal and professional catastrophe for her.

• Từ đồng nghĩa / Synonyms:
  cataclysm, disaster, calamity, tragedy