disaster English · revision 128
5 Oct 2026, 22:00 by bogdan “Add pronunciation, sense history, timeline, meanings, word family, related words” current version
Changes in this edit
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+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA: /dɪˈzɑːs.təː/ ''(UK)''^(Wiktionary)
+
==Etymology==
− Recorded from the later 16th century,^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline) [[bor|frm|desastre]],^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|it|disastro|t=ill-starred]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD) from pejorative ''dis-'' + ''astro'' “star”,^(AHD)^(Etymonline) [[der|la|astrum|t=star]], [[der|grc|ἄστρον|tr=ástron|t=star]],^(AHD)^(RHWU) ultimately [[der|ine-pro|*h₂stḗr|t=star]].^(Wiktionary) The sense is astrological: a calamity blamed on an unfavourable position of a planet.^(Etymonline) Compare [[ill-starred]].^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)
+ It is [[bor|frm|desastre]],^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|it|disastro|t=ill-starred]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD) from pejorative ''dis-'' + ''astro'' “star”,^(AHD)^(Etymonline) [[der|la|astrum|t=star]], [[der|grc|ἄστρον|tr=ástron|t=star]],^(AHD)^(RHWU) ultimately [[der|ine-pro|*h₂stḗr|t=star]].^(Wiktionary) Compare [[ill-starred]].^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ A ruinous or distressing event, a sudden misfortune (1590s);^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) the astrological sense “unfavourable aspect of a star or planet”, now obsolete, appears by 1602.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ The sense is astrological: a calamity blamed on an unfavourable position of a planet, with “star” in the sense of destiny or fate.^(Etymonline) An early Middle English word for a national disaster was ''lond-sorwe'' “land-sorrow”.^(Etymonline) In modern use the word extends to any complete failure.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 1568 – Merriam-Webster's date.^(MW Collegiate)
+ * 1580 – verb ''disaster'', “to bring misfortune on”, now obsolete.^(OED 1989)
+ * 1591 – “a sudden or great misfortune; a calamity”.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)
+ * 1602 – “an unfavourable aspect of a star or planet”, now obsolete.^(OED 1989)
+ * 1960 – ''disaster area''.^(OED 1989)
+
+ ==Modern meaning==
+ ===Noun===
+ # A sudden event causing great destruction, loss, or distress; a catastrophe.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)
+ # A grave misfortune.^(AHD)^(Wiktionary)
+ # A complete failure.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)
+ # ''(obsolete)'' An unfavourable aspect of a star or planet.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[disastrous]]
+ * [[predisaster]]
+ * [[disaster area]]
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[calamity]]
+ * [[catastrophe]]
+ * [[cataclysm]]
+
+ ==Usage notes==
+ ''Disaster'' usually implies great destruction, hardship, or loss of life;^(AHD)^(RHWU) ''calamity'' stresses grief and the sense of loss;^(AHD)^(RHWU) ''catastrophe'' stresses a tragic final outcome;^(AHD)^(RHWU) and ''cataclysm'' is a violent upheaval that brings fundamental change.^(AHD)^(RHWU)
==References==