Table of Contents
The word for today is…
debacle (noun):
1a : a great disaster
b : a complete failure : fiasco
2 : a tumultuous breakup of ice in a river
3 : a violent disruption (as of an army)
Source : Merriam -Webster
Etymology :Debacle comes from the French noun débâcle, which comes from the verb débâcler, meaning “to clear,” “to unbolt,” or “to unbar.” That verb is from Middle French desbacler, which joined the prefix des- (equivalent to our de-, meaning “to do the opposite of”) with the verb “bacler” (“to block”). In its original uses, “debacle” meant a breaking up of ice, or the rush of ice or water that follows such an occurrence. Eventually, “debacle” was used also to mean “a violent, destructive flood.” Naturally, such uses led to meanings such as “a breaking up,” “collapse,” and finally “disaster” or “fiasco.”
If you enjoyed this BFD word of the day please consider sharing it with your friends and, especially, your children.
