dis·as·ter

(dĭ-zăs′tər, -săs′-)

a. An occurrence causing widespread destruction and distress; a catastrophe.

b. A grave misfortune.

2. Informal A total failure: The dinner party was a disaster.

3. Obsolete An evil influence of a star or planet.

[French désastre, from Italian disastro : dis-, pejorative pref. (from Latin dis-; see dis-) + astro, star (from Latin astrum, from Greek astron; see ster- in Indo-European roots).]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

disaster

(dɪˈzɑːstə)

1. an occurrence that causes great distress or destruction

2. a thing, project, etc, that fails or has been ruined

[C16 (originally in the sense: malevolent astral influence): from Italian disastro, from dis- (pejorative) + astro star, from Latin astrum, from Greek astron]

disˈastrous adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

dis•as•ter

(dɪˈzæs tər, -ˈzɑ stər)

n.

1. a calamitous event, esp. one occurring suddenly and causing great loss of life, damage, or hardship, as a flood, airplane crash, or business failure.

2. Obs. an unfavorable aspect of a star or planet.

[1585–95; < Middle French desastre < Italian disastro=dis- dis-¹ + astro star < Latin astrum < Greek ástron]

syn: disaster, calamity, catastrophe, cataclysm refer to adverse happenings usu. occurring suddenly and unexpectedly. disaster may be caused by negligence, bad judgment, or the like, or by natural forces, as a hurricane or flood: a railroad disaster that claimed many lives. calamity suggests great affliction, either personal or general; the emphasis is on the grief or sorrow caused: the calamity of losing a child. catastrophe refers esp. to the tragic outcome of a personal or public situation; the emphasis is on the destruction or irreplaceable loss: the catastrophe of a defeat in battle. cataclysm, a sudden and violent change in the earth's surface, also refers to a personal or public upheaval: a cataclysm that turned our lives in a new direction.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	disaster - a state of extreme (usually irremediable) ruin and misfortune; "lack of funds has resulted in a catastrophe for our school system"; "his policies were a disaster" catastrophe adversity, hard knocks, hardship - a state of misfortune or affliction; "debt-ridden farmers struggling with adversity"; "a life of hardship"
	2.	disaster - an event resulting in great loss and misfortune; "the whole city was affected by the irremediable calamity"; "the earthquake was a disaster" calamity, catastrophe, tragedy, cataclysm misfortune, bad luck - unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event act of God, force majeure, inevitable accident, unavoidable casualty, vis major - a natural and unavoidable catastrophe that interrupts the expected course of events; "he discovered that his house was not insured against acts of God" apocalypse - a cosmic cataclysm in which God destroys the ruling powers of evil famine - a severe shortage of food (as through crop failure) resulting in violent hunger and starvation and death kiss of death - something that is ruinous; "if this were known it would be the kiss of death for my political career" meltdown - a disaster comparable to a nuclear meltdown; "there is little likelihood of a meltdown comparable to the American banking collapse in March 1933" plague - any large scale calamity (especially when thought to be sent by God) visitation - any disaster or catastrophe; "a visitation of the plague" tidal wave - an unusual (and often destructive) rise of water along the seashore caused by a storm or a combination of wind and high tide tsunami - a cataclysm resulting from a destructive sea wave caused by an earthquake or volcanic eruption; "a colossal tsunami destroyed the Minoan civilization in minutes"
	3.	disaster - an act that has disastrous consequences destruction, devastation - the termination of something by causing so much damage to it that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists

disaster

noun

1. catastrophe, trouble, blow, accident, stroke, reverse, tragedy, ruin, misfortune, adversity, calamity, mishap, whammy (informal, chiefly U.S.), misadventure, cataclysm, act of God, bummer (slang), ruination, mischance the second air disaster in less than two months

2. failure, mess, flop (informal), catastrophe, rout, debacle, cock-up (Brit. slang), balls-up (taboo slang), non-starter, fuck-up (offensive taboo slang), washout (informal) The whole production was a disaster.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

disaster

noun

An occurrence inflicting widespread destruction and distress:

calamity, cataclysm, catastrophe, tragedy.

Translations

كارِثَةكارِثَه، مُصيبَه

pohromakatastrofa

katastrofeulykke

Katastrophe Unheil Desaster

καταστροφή συμφορά

desastre

katastrofionnettomuus

désastre

katastrofa

stórslys; náttúruhamfarir

disastro disastrosamente disastroso guaio malanno

災害

재난

nelaimė

nelaimeposts

nesrečarazdejanje

katastrof

ความหายนะ

facia felaketfelâket

thảm họa

灾难

disaster

[dɪˈzɑːstəʳ]

A. N

1. (= catastrophe) → desastre m
see also court B2
see also strike B2

2. (= inept person) → desastre m

B. CPD disaster area N → zona f catastrófica, zona f de desastre
he's a walking disaster area (hum) → es un puro desastre
disaster fund N → fondo m de ayuda para casos de desastre

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

disaster

[dɪˈzæstə^r dɪˈzɑːstə^r] n (sudden, unexpected event) → catastrophe f; (longer term) → désastre m
a rail disaster → une catastrophe ferroviaire
economic disaster → désastre économique
to be a disaster → être désastreux/euse
The government's education policy is a disaster → La politique du gouvernement en matière d'éducation est désastreuse.
disaster struck → le malheur a frappé
to be a recipe for disaster → mener droit à la catastrophedisaster area n

(lit) → zone f sinistrée

(fig) (= place) → zone f sinistrée (= person) → catastrophe f
he's a walking disaster area → c'est une catastrophe ambulantedisaster movie n → film m catastrophedisaster relief n (= aid) → aide f aux victimes de catastrophesdisaster victim n → sinistré(e) m/fdisaster zone n → zone f sinistrée

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

disaster

n → Katastrophe f; (Aviat, Min, Rail) → Unglück nt, → Katastrophe f; (= fiasco) → Fiasko nt, → Desaster nt; doomed to disaster → zum Untergang verdammt or verurteilt ? also recipe

disaster

disaster area

n → Katastrophengebiet nt; (fig inf: = person) → Katastrophe f

disaster fund

n → Katastrophenfonds m

disaster movie

n → Katastrophenfilm m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

disaster

[dɪˈzɑːstəʳ] n (also) (fig) → disastro
disaster area → zona disastrata
disaster fund raccolta di fondi a favore delle vittime di un disastro

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

disaster

(diˈzaːstə) noun

a terrible event, especially one that causes great damage, loss etc. The earthquake was the greatest disaster the country had ever experienced.

diˈsastrous adjective

diˈsastrously adverb

disaster

→ كارِثَة pohroma katastrofe Katastrophe καταστροφή desastre katastrofi désastre katastrofa disastro 災害 재난 ramp katastrofe katastrofa desastre бедствие katastrof ความหายนะ felaket thảm họa 灾难

disaster

n. desastre; desdicha, infortunio.

disaster

n desastre m

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

And as for small difficulties and worryings, prospects of sudden disaster, peril of life and limb; all these, and death itself, seem to him only sly, good-natured hits, and jolly punches in the side bestowed by the unseen and unaccountable old joker.

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Such a disaster meant anywhere between twenty-five to eighty cents, just according to how many of the players ordered ten-cent drinks.

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As Adam was a-working outside of Eden-Wall, He used the Earth, he used the Seas, he used the Air and all; And out of black disaster He arose to be the master Of Earth and Water, Air and Fire, But never reached his heart's desire!(The Apple Tree's cut down!)

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This accident occurred in 1866, a year and a month after the disaster on the Matterhorn.

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"I have no wish to distress you by representing the loss of this situation in the light of a disaster. Norah was not so happy in it as I had hoped and believed she would be.

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The reinsurer, the optimist of ill-luck and disaster, slaps his pocket with satisfaction.

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It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

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"I can offer you no consolation, my friend," said he; "your disaster is irreparable.

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The deity predicted certain disaster to the presumptuous mortal who laid hands on the sacred gem, and to all of his house and name who received it after him.

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The next day she come to my governess and tells her that Sir was at home, but that he had met with a disaster and was very ill, and there was no speaking with him.

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His story, however, was one of disaster. He and his companions had found it impossible to govern their boat, having no rudder, and being beset by rapid and whirling currents and boisterous surges.

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Society must manage to get on without the Beauforts, and there was an end of it--except indeed for such hapless victims of the disaster as Medora Manson, the poor old Miss Lannings, and certain other misguided ladies of good family who, if only they had listened to Mr.

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