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Spell Bee Word: catastrophe


Basic Details

Word: Catastrophe

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: A sudden event that causes great damage or suffering; a terrible disaster.

Synonyms: disaster, calamity, tragedy

How to Spell Catastrophe

Syllables: ca - tas - tro - phe

Tricky part: The last sound, fee, is written phe: ph for the f sound and a final e that is said aloud. Do not end it with y or fe.

Watch out for: catastrophy, catastrofe, catastraphe

Memory tip: Catastrophe ends exactly like apostrophe: both finish with strophe.

Usage Examples

Example 1: The cyclone was a catastrophe for the fishing villages along the coast.

Example 2: Forgetting the cake in the oven turned the party into a small catastrophe.

Example 3: Quick warnings helped the town avoid a catastrophe when the river rose.

Fun Fact

Catastrophe comes from a Greek word meaning an overturning. In Greek plays it named the final turn of the story.

Practise the CREST Way

Word Connection

Choose the synonym of the word: catastrophe

a) triumph
b) rescue
c) disaster
d) celebration

Show answer

c) disaster. A disaster is a sudden event that brings great harm.

Word Cookie

Find the extra letter in the word:

catasttrophe

a) h
b) a
c) t
d) s

Show answer

c) t. Only one t comes after the s.

Mingle-Mangle

Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:

phortsaeact

a) apostrophe
b) catastrophe
c) astrophysics
d) catastrophic

Show answer

b) catastrophe. Catastrophic has an i and two c's, so only catastrophe uses these eleven letters.

Spell-o-Spell

Choose the incorrectly spelt word:

a) catastrofe
b) evacuate
c) devastation
d) earthquake

Show answer

a) catastrofe. The f sound at the end is spelt ph.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which event would you call a catastrophe?

a) a sunny day at the beach
b) a quiet afternoon nap
c) a birthday party
d) a flood that destroys a whole town

Show answer

d) a flood that destroys a whole town

2. How many syllables does catastrophe have?

a) four
b) two
c) three
d) five

Show answer

a) four

Associated Words

perhapsdecadecarefullydryermiserable
repliedinfertiledeviatingreaffirmspeechless

Next steps

How to participate in CREST International Spell Bee

The CREST International Spell Bee (CSB) is conducted in two editions – CREST International Spell Bee - Summer (CSB) and CREST International Spell Bee - Winter (CSBW) – giving students across the globe an opportunity to showcase and enhance their spelling proficiency. Designed for young learners from Senior KG to Class 8, the competition focuses on word-building, pronunciation, and vocabulary enrichment, helping students develop strong linguistic skills.

Steps to Participate:

Step 1: Visit the registration page and complete the registration with your desired subject.

Step 2: After Registration done, do login at www.crestolympiads.com/login.

Step 3: After login, go to dashboard and click on Book slot/Take Exam

Step 4: Schedule your exam date and preferred time.

Step 5: Log in with your credentials on the exam day at the scheduled time and take the exam.

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