The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is…

disaster (noun):

1: a sudden calamitous event bringing great damage, loss, or destruction
natural disasters
2: someone or something that is very bad
a: someone or something that is extremely unsuccessful
b: someone or something that has a very bad effect or result
c: someone who is in a very agitated emotional state : wreck
d: someone or something that is in a very disordered state or condition : mess
3obsolete, occult : an unfavorable aspect (see aspect sense 2a) of a planet or star

Source : Merriam -Webster

Etymology : Disaster has its roots in the belief that the positions of stars influence the fate of humans, often in destructive ways; its original meaning in English was “an unfavorable aspect of a planet or star.” The word comes to us through Middle French and the Old Italian word disastro, from the Latin prefix dis- and Latin astro, meaning “star.” Another unfortunate word that comes to us from astrological beliefs is “ill-starred.” Now generally used in the sense of “unlucky” or “having or destined to a hapless fate,” “ill-starred” was originally used literally to describe someone born under or guided by an evil star. We also have star-crossed, meaning “not favored by the stars” or “ill-fated.”

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