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definition of catastrophe  

Definition

  • In the disasters literature there is controversy about whether the term catastrophe can be differentiated from disaster or whether they are synonyms. The word catastrophe, which first appeared in the English language in the 1500s, comes from the ancient Greek word katastrophe, meaning “overturning” or “sudden turn,” and its Latin derivative catastropha. [Source: Encyclopedia of Crisis Management; Catastrophe, Definition of]

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https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/definition_of_catastrophe

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