ðɪs tˈɜːm wʌz kˈɔɪnd tə dˈɪstəns ɪtsˈɛlf fɹʌmðə vɜːnˈækjʊlɚ jˈuːs ʌvðə wˈɜːd kɐtˈæstɹəfi tə sˈɪɡnᵻfˌaɪ dɪzˈæstɚ wˌɪtʃ ɡˈeɪv ðə tˈɜːm nˈɛɡətˌɪv kɑːnətˈeɪʃənz ɪn ˈɛvɹɪdˌeɪ jˈuːsɪdʒ.
This term was coined to distance itself from the vernacular use of the word 'catastrophe' to signify disaster (which gave the term negative connotations in everyday usage).