catastrophism (n.)youdaoicibaDictYouDict[catastrophism 词源字典]
as a geological or biological theory, 1869, coined by Huxley from catastrophe + -ism.
By CATASTROPHISM I mean any form of geological speculation which, in order to account for the phenomena of geology, supposes the operation of forces different in their nature, or immeasurably different in power, from those which we at present see in action in the universe. [T.H. Huxley, "Address" to the Geological Society of London, Feb. 19, 1869]
Related: Catastrophist.[catastrophism etymology, catastrophism origin, 英语词源]
immeasurable (adj.)youdaoicibaDictYouDict
mid-15c., from im- + measurable. It could alternate with immensurable (1530s), from French, from Late Latin immensurabilis, from assimilated form of in- "not" + mensurabilis "able to be measured," from mensurare "to measure." Related: Immeasurably.
topless (adj.)youdaoicibaDictYouDict
of women, "bare-breasted," 1966, from top (n.1) + -less. Earlier it was used of men's bathing suits (1937) and women's (1964). Earliest sense is "without a visible summit; immeasurably high" (1580s).