Etymology
catastrophism (n.) 1823, introduced by English geologist Edward Hitchcock, from Late Latin catastrophus "an overturning," from Greek katastrophe "an overthrow," from kata- "down" + strophe "a turning," from strephein "to turn, twist, direct."
Meaning
Catastrophism is a geological theory that states that the Earth's history has been shaped by a series of sudden, violent events, such as floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. This theory was popular in the early 19th century, but it has since been largely discredited. Most modern geologists now believe that the Earth's history has been shaped by a series of gradual, continuous processes.
Origin
The theory of catastrophism was first proposed by the French naturalist Georges Cuvier. Cuvier argued that the Earth had been repeatedly destroyed and recreated by a series of catastrophic events. He based this theory on his studies of the fossil record, which showed that many extinct species had been replaced by new species. Cuvier's theory was widely accepted by geologists in the early 19th century, but it began to be challenged in the mid-19th century. The gradualist theory of Charles Darwin, which proposed that the Earth's history had been shaped by a series of gradual, continuous processes, gradually gained acceptance. Today, the gradualist theory is the dominant theory of geological history.
Etymology The word catastrophe comes from the Ancient Greek καταστροφή ka
Etymology The word cata is derived from the Greek prefix κατά kata which means
Etymology Greek streptos meaning twisted or bent Meaning Relating to a grou
Etymology Middle English tantelize tantalyze Late Latin tantalizare Greek Tantalizein
Etymology The word fiasco comes from the Italian word fiasco which originally refer
Etymology From Latin lugubris mournful dismal from Proto Indo European s leug
Etymology The word sweet comes from the Old English word swēte which itself evolve
Etymology Old English dream Proto Germanic draugmaz Proto Indo European dregh t
Pretend Etymology From Middle English pretenden meaning to claim or profess to be
