DictionaryAI

disaster

noun
di-ZAS-tur/dɪˈzæːs.tɚ/UKdi-ZAHS-tuh/dɪˈzɑːs.tə(ɹ)/

Pluraldisasters

3 meanings of disaster

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountable
    A sudden event, like a flood or fire, that causes great harm to people, property, or nature.

    Like a fire that burns down a whole village in one night.

    The flood was a disaster that destroyed hundreds of homes.

    After the disaster, many families had nowhere to live.

    Similarcatastrophe, calamity, cataclysm, tragedy

    Note
  2. 2
    nouncountable or uncountable
    Something that goes very badly and causes a lot of trouble or sadness.

    Like dropping a full tray of dishes right as the guests walk in.

    The party turned into a complete disaster when the rain started.

    Losing his job was a disaster for the whole family.

    Similarfiasco, debacle, failure, catastrophe, flop

    Oppositesuccess, triumph

    Note
  3. 3
    nouncountable
    A skateboarding move where the rider jumps, turns halfway, and balances on the middle of the board at the ramp's edge.

    She landed a clean disaster on the edge of the ramp.

    He practiced the disaster for weeks before getting it right.

Practice

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Origin

It came from Italian 'disastro', made from 'dis-' plus 'astro' meaning 'star'. The word 'star' goes back through Latin and Greek to an ancient root.