English Dictionary

Definition of “catastrophist”

catastrophist (kəˈtæstrəfɪst) 

Definitions

noun

(geology)
  1. a person who ascribes to an old doctrine, now discarded, that the earth was created and has subsequently been shaped by sudden divine acts which have no logical connection with each other rather than by gradual evolutionary processes
  2. a person who ascribes to a modern doctrine that the gradual evolutionary processes shaping the earth have been supplemented in the past by the effects of huge natural catastrophes

catastrophism (kəˈtæstrəˌfɪzəm Pronunciation for catastrophism

Definitions

noun

  1. an old doctrine, now discarded, that the earth was created and has subsequently been shaped by sudden divine acts which have no logical connection with each other rather than by gradual evolutionary processes
  2. Also called: neo-catastrophism. a modern doctrine that the gradual evolutionary processes shaping the earth have been supplemented in the past by the effects of huge natural catastrophes Compare uniformitarianism, gradualism (sense 2)

Derived Forms

caˈtastrophist noun

Example Sentences Including 'catastrophist'

For many conservatives, ` catastrophist " solutions to Spain's problems seemed for the moment less urgent.
Preston, Paul Franco
Ines is right: Gillespie is a `catastrofista", a catastrophist , but his pessimism is part of a more fundamental disengagement.
Misc (1999)
`The Catastrophist "is published by Review, £14.99 hardback from `the catastrophist "What should I be looking at now?
Independent (1998)

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