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Why "disasterous" is a spelling catastrophe
Reviewed and edited by 
Lloyd Cooper 11/12/2024, 19:00
Lloyd Cooper 11/12/2024, 19:00English.me team member
What kind of error is it?
It is a spelling error.
Why do people make this mistake?
People often assume that the suffix "-ous" can be directly appended to certain words following a common English spelling pattern. While this is true for many words, such as "dangerous" or "marvelous," the word "disaster" forms "disastrous" by dropping the "e" in its root before adding "-ous". This irregular formation can cause confusion.
What is correct?
"Disastrous" is the correct spelling. It is an adjective that means "causing great damage or suffering" or "extremely bad or unfortunate".
Examples of correct usage
- The storm caused disastrous flooding throughout the region.
- Their investment turned out to be a disastrous mistake.
- Failing to back up the data had disastrous consequences for the company.
Grammar
