It's a disaster from Gisi

DeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaR Word Spy,


My sister always says "What a disaster" or "That's a disaster" or "it was a disaster."

Disaster as you might have guessed is her favourite word.

froooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom  Gisi



Dear Gisi,

thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaank you for this message about all those disasters.

I like the word disaster too.

This is where it comes from - "astrum" means "star" in Latin which over time turned into "aster". Then "dis" means "not" or "opposite" or something like that (as in "dislike", "disobey" etc.)

So DISASTER means sort of "against the stars" - in other words, against good fortune, if you think the stars are what guide your good luck, as lots of people did in the olden days (and still do - I bet you know what star sign you are!).

yooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooours, astrally, The Word Spy