catastrophism

American  

[kuh-tas-truh-fiz-uhm] / kəˈtæs trəˌfɪz əm /

noun

Geology.

1. the doctrine that certain vast geological changes in the earth's history were caused by catastrophes rather than gradual evolutionary processes.

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catastrophism British  

/ kəˈtæstrəˌfɪzəm /

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

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catastrophism Cultural  

1. A theory holding that changes in the Earth take place swiftly and irreversibly. (Contrast gradualism.)

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Discover More

A belief in Noah's flood is one version of catastrophism.

Other Word Forms

• catastrophist noun

Etymology

Origin of catastrophism

First recorded in 1865–70; catastrophe + -ism

Explanation

Catastrophism is the theory that most changes to the Earth's crust happened because of major events. No matter how cool it would be to see a mountain form, according to this theory, you wouldn't be around to watch. Catastrophism was first proposed by the French scientist Georges Cuvier in the early 1800s. His work was done before a lot of important discoveries about geology, evolution, and the fossil record, so his original theories aren't used anymore. But the idea of sudden events that have massive effects on Earth and its species is still used sometimes in different ways, and that's sometimes called neocatastrophism. Catastrophism is contrasted with uniformitarianism or gradualism, the idea that slow incremental changes have shaped Earth's past.

Example Sentences

Indeed, the retreat of climate catastrophism has made room for a less strident but more sustainable climate realism, focused on innovation and the commercialization of low-carbon technologies.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 13, 2025

But by the 1970s, geologists had accepted catastrophism as legitimate.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 2, 2024

"Lots of people are using this kind of catastrophism to argue that there's no point in reducing emissions," he says.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2020

The proponents of uniformitarianism and catastrophism were at odds with each other for much of the past two centuries, with convincing arguments being made by both sides.

From Scientific American • Aug. 9, 2019

By the 1980s, catastrophism had been out of fashion for so long that it had become literally unthinkable.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson