Disaster
WordNet
noun
(1) An act that has disastrous consequences
(2) An event resulting in great loss and misfortune
"The whole city was affected by the irremediable calamity"
"The earthquake was a disaster"
(3) 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"
WiktionaryText
Etymology
From Italian disastro, disaster; originally meaning "unfavourable to one's stars", from dis-, bad (compare dys-), + astro, star, celestial body, from Latin astrum, from Greek astron.
Noun
- 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.
- An unforeseen event causing great loss, upset or unpleasantness of whatever kind.
- The downpour and gales turned the wedding into a disaster.