From Middle French desastre, from Italian disastro, from dis- + astro ("star"), from Latin astrum, from Ancient Greek ἄστρον, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂stḗr.

• (RP) IPA: /dɪˈzɑːs.tə(ɹ)/
• (Northern England) IPA: /dɪˈzæs.tə/
• (America) IPA: /dɪˈzæs.tɚ/

disaster

1. An unexpected natural or man-made catastrophe of substantial extent causing significant physical damage or destruction, loss of life or sometimes permanent change to the natural environment.

   People would suffer disasters when society's morality degenerates.

2. An unforeseen event causing great loss, upset or unpleasantness of whatever kind.
   • 2003, The Devil Wears Prada:

     A nod means good, two nods; very good. And then there's the pursing of the lips: disaster.

3. A skateboard trick involving a 180-degree ollie, landing on the center of the board with the front trucks facing towards the ramp and the back trucks over the lip. The skater then leans forwards to return in the ramp.

• See also Thesaurus:disaster

• French: désastre, catastrophe
• German: Desaster, Unglück, Katastrophe, Unheil
• Italian: disastro
• Portuguese: desastre
• Russian: бе́дствие
• Spanish: desastre

• French: désastre
• German: Desaster
• Italian: disastro
• Portuguese: desastre
• Russian: бе́дствие