catastrophic

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   extremely harmful

   Their injuries were catastrophic.

2. 2
   adj

   Disastrous; ruinous.

   The reason why Jon & Kate Plus 8 is such a hot topic is because it might all be a sham. It’s been claimed that Jon has a string of mistresses, that Kate had an affair with her bodyguard and that Baby Number Six is actually a shaved Ewok with a catastrophic heroin addiction. Or something.

3. 3
   adj

   From which recovery is impossible.

   catastrophic failure

4. 4
   adj

   Of or pertaining to a catastrophe.

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek καταστροφικός (katastrophikós). By surface analysis, catastrophe + -ic.