'catastrophe' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'katastrophē', where 'kata-' meant 'down' or 'against' and 'strophē' meant 'a turning' or 'a turning about'.

'catastrophe' passed into Late Latin as 'catastrophē', then into Old French and Middle English, eventually becoming the modern English 'catastrophe'.

Initially, it meant 'an overturning' or 'a sudden turn' (often in drama for the final turning point), but over time it evolved into the current sense of 'a sudden disastrous event' or 'a great calamity'.