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Webster's 1913 Dictionary

CATASTROPHISM

CATASTROPHISM Ca *tas "tro *phism, n. (Geol.)

Defn: The doctrine that the geological changes in the earth's crust have been caused by the sudden action of violent physical causes; -- opposed to the doctrine of uniformism.

New American Oxford Dictionary

catastrophism

ca tas tro phism |kəˈtastrəˌfizəm kəˈtæstrəfɪzəm | ▶noun Geology the theory that changes in the earth's crust during geological history have resulted chiefly from sudden violent and unusual events. Often contrasted with uniformitarianism. DERIVATIVES ca tas tro phist noun & adjective

Oxford Dictionary

catastrophism

ca ¦tas ¦troph |ism |kəˈtastrəfɪz (ə )m | ▶noun [ mass noun ] Geology the theory that changes in the earth's crust during geological history have resulted chiefly from sudden violent and unusual events. Often contrasted with uniformitarianism. DERIVATIVES catastrophist noun & adjective