crater

name

Etymology: From Latin crater (“basin; cup”), from Ancient Greek κρατήρ (kratḗr, “mixing bowl, wassail-bowl”), from κράμα (kráma, “mixture”), from κεράννυμι (keránnumi, “to mix, to mingle”).

1. A dim spring constellation of the northern sky, said to resemble a cup. It lies between the constellations Virgo and Hydra.

noun

1. Alternative form of creature.

   “I then had the two best tarriers beneath the canopy; this poor crater is their daughter," and he patted the dog's head affectionately.”

   “She is a charming crater; I would venture to say that, if I was not her father.”

verb

Etymology: First coined 1613, from Latin crātēr (“basin”), from Ancient Greek κρᾱτήρ (krātḗr, “mixing-bowl, wassail-bowl”).

1. To form craters in a surface.
2. To collapse catastrophically; to become devastated or completely destroyed.

   “Yup, John McCain said to me the economy “is about to crater.” You folks worried about the economy? Whoo! Not me.”

   “Uber said on Thursday that its ride-hailing business had cratered in the second quarter as people traveled less in the pandemic.”

3. To crash or fall.

   “He cratered into that snow bank about five seconds after his first lesson.”

4. To die from fall damage.