1
Stage 1 of 3
dis astro
Italian · medieval
"under a bad star"
literally ill-starred, from an astrological belief that a bad planetary alignment caused misfortune
2
Stage 2 of 3
disastre
French · 1500s
"a great misfortune"
carried into French for a great misfortune
3
Stage 3 of 3
disaster
English · 1590s
"a sudden event causing great damage or suffering"
settled as the English word for a sudden calamitous event
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