supercatastrophe

English

Etymology

super- +‎ catastrophe

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /suːpəɹˈkəˈtæstɹəfi/

Noun

supercatastrophe (plural supercatastrophes)

1. (rare) A very severe, widespread catastrophe.
   • 1922, United States National Transportation Safety Board, Congressional Record May 25-June 13, 1922: Volume 62‎^[1], Superintendent of Government Documents, page 8543:

     Then came that supercatastrophe, that curse and blot upon civilization, the great World War.

   • 1953, Popular Mechanics Magazine 1953-11: Volume 100 Issue 5‎^[2], Hearst Magazines, Division of Hearst Communications Incorporated, page 136:

     It may be a vast waterfront fire, like the Staten Island ferry terminal blaze a few years ago that consumed acres of buildings; a supercatastrophe, like the Black Tom explosion; a blazing oil tanker drifting toward a pier laden with explosives; or perhaps a helicopter pilot has dunked in the river, a boat is adrift, or someone has fallen off a ferryboat.

   • 1980, United States. Congress. House Committee on Banking, Finance, and Urban Affairs, Subcommittee on Housing and Community Development, Earthquake Insurance Availability‎^[3], U.S. Government Printing Office, →ISBN, page 727:

     Insurance underwriters very often take the same optimistic view as property owners and in many countries underestimate the long term annual cost for the rare supercatastrophes.