Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

catastrophist

Noun

/kəˈtæstrəfɪst/

Definition

A person who believes in the theory that geological changes occur primarily through sudden, short-lived, and violent events.

Examples

The catastrophist view explains the mass extinctions as results of catastrophic events like meteor impacts.
Many scientists debated between the gradualist and catastrophist theories during the early years of geology.
As a catastrophist, she often pointed to natural disasters as key drivers of change in Earth’s history.

Meaning

Catastrophists argue that Earth’s features and its biological diversity have been shaped by major, often disastrous events, contrasting with gradualistic views of change.