Three complete histories meet in the Greek star family. Italian disastro combines “bad” with “star”; astronaut combines “star” with “sailor”; and the flower aster was named for its radiating, star-like head. Color marks the elements inside the final compounds without altering their spelling.

Sources: Online Etymology Dictionary, aster, disaster, astronaut, and astro-; CNRTL, désastre; Merriam-Webster, disaster, aster, and astronaut; De Mauro, disastro.

Compare: mouse · muscle · mussel · wind · eye · window · avocado · guacamole · tea · chai · helicopter · coffee · café · caffeine

Dates follow the earliest cited evidence for the form and sense shown. Notes name the sources. Timeline spacing is compressed; undated stages are placed in sequence.