Origin of the word disaster
The word disaster comes from the Middle French désastre from the old Italian disastro, which in turn comes from the Greek pejorative prefix dis- (bad; Gr: δυσ-) + aster (star; Gr: ἀστήρ). So disaster lit. means "bad star" in Greek. The sense is astrological, of a calamity blamed on an unfavorable position of a planet.
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Note: Some etymologize dis- from the Greek dis [twice, bis-, bi-; Gr.: δις] from dyo [the number two, duo; Gr.: δύο].
In modern Greek:
a) asteri or aster: star [Gr: αστέρι or αστήρ]
OED
WKP
___________________ Post: 166. _______________________
The word disaster comes from the Middle French désastre from the old Italian disastro, which in turn comes from the Greek pejorative prefix dis- (bad; Gr: δυσ-) + aster (star; Gr: ἀστήρ). So disaster lit. means "bad star" in Greek. The sense is astrological, of a calamity blamed on an unfavorable position of a planet.
.
Note: Some etymologize dis- from the Greek dis [twice, bis-, bi-; Gr.: δις] from dyo [the number two, duo; Gr.: δύο].
In modern Greek:
a) asteri or aster: star [Gr: αστέρι or αστήρ]
OED
WKP
___________________ Post: 166. _______________________
1 σχόλιο:
The previews etymology is wrong. This is the right one:
"dis": in Hellenics doesn't mean bad....
"dys"="bad" (examples: ΔΥΣ-ΟΙΩΝΟ=bad-omen, ΔΥΣ-ΑΝΑΛΟΓΟ=bad-analogy, ΔΥΣ-ΘΕΟΡΑΤΟ=badly-huge, etc)
"dis": It comes from the number 2=ΔΥΟ; Hellenics: "DIS=ΔΙΣ=TWO TIMES" or DOUBLE(=ΔΙΠΛΟ).
STAR=ΑΣΤΗΡ (Hellenics).
So, disaster, is the "DIS+ΑΣΤΗΡ"="DIS-ASTER"="DOUBLE-STAR".
Two stars together AT THE SAME TIME, something unusual CLOSE TO EARTH, that causes tremendous (hel. δραματικές) catastrophes (hel. καταστροφές). It was known among ages, that this happens occasionally and the one of these two stars was the Sun; guess the other one...
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