noun
crater
KRAY-tuh
noun
1
A bowl-shaped hollow in the ground, caused by an explosion, impact, or volcanic activity.
"The meteorite left a crater several miles wide."
"Scientists study the craters on the Moon to learn about its history."
verb
1
To collapse or fail suddenly and completely.
"The company's stock price cratered after the scandal broke."
How to Use Crater
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA bowl-like dent in the ground, or (as a verb) to collapse dramatically.
Common pairings
impact crater
volcanic crater
prices cratered
Word Forms
cratered past tense, craters singular
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The meteorite left a _____ several miles wide.
Etymology
From Latin crater, "mixing bowl," borrowed from Greek — the shape of an impact hollow reminded early scientists of a large bowl.