Definitions For Catastrophism

Noun

CATASTROPHISM. (countable and uncountable, plural CATASTROPHISMs) (geology) The doctrine that sudden catastrophes, rather than continuous change, cause the main features of the Earth's crust. : {{ant, en, uniformitarianism}} (biology) The doctrine that, in addition to the more gradual effects of evolution, huge catastrophic events shape the earth's flora and fauna by causing major die-offs which make way for the emergence of new organisms. The practice or tendency of catastrophize, catastrophizing, regarding bad things as catastrophic.

Coordinate terms

anastrophism

Derived terms

neocatastrophism

Related terms

catastrophist

Etymology

from catastrophe , -ism, {{coin , en , nocap=1 , william whewell , nat=english , occ=polymath , in=1837}}.