disaster

Where does the word "disaster" come from? It comes from Italian dis astro, passing through French before entering English (1590s).

Disaster’s story begins in Italian: dis astro meant “under a bad star.” Literally ill-starred, from an astrological belief that a bad planetary alignment caused misfortune. By 1500s, the word had taken hold in French as disastre. Carried into French for a great misfortune. It reached English by 1590s as disaster. Settled as the English word for a sudden calamitous event. Today, disaster means a sudden event causing widespread damage, destruction, or suffering.

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