crater

The definition of a crater is a hollow, bowl-shaped hole.

(noun)

An example of a crater is a hole on the moon's surface.

See crater in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

in ancient Greece or Rome, a kind of large bowl or jar shaped like an amphora
a bowl-shaped cavity, as at the mouth of a volcano or geyser
a pit resembling this, specif. one caused by a bomb or by the impact of a meteorite, as on the moon
Astron. a S constellation between Hydra and Corvus

Origin: L, mixing bowl, mouth of a volcano < Gr kratēr < kerannynai, to mix: see idiosyncrasy

transitive verb

to make craters in

intransitive verb

to form craters

See crater in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A bowl-shaped depression at the mouth of a volcano or geyser.
a. A bowl-shaped depression in a surface made by an explosion or the impact of a body, such as a meteoroid.
b. A pit; a hollow.
Variant of krater.

verb cra·tered, cra·ter·ing, cra·ters

verb, transitive

To make craters in: “The missiles did not . . . crater the airfield” (Tom Clancy).

verb, intransitive

To form a crater or craters.
Slang
a. To fall and crash violently from a great height.
b. To fail utterly: “talked about how tough times were in Texas since the oil business cratered” (Stephen Coonts).

Origin:

Origin: Latin crātēr

Origin: , from Greek krātēr, mixing vessel; see kerə- in Indo-European roots

noun

A constellation in the Southern Hemisphere near Hydra and Corvus.

Origin:

Origin: Latin crātēr, mixing bowl, crater; see Crater

Learn more about crater

crater synonyms

crater medical definition

crater science

crater in a sentence