fiasco
UK/fiˈæs.kəʊ/US/fiˈæs.koʊ/
n
a complete and ridiculous failure, especially of a performance or plan.
Etymology
the word 'fiasco' entered english in the mid-19th century directly from italian, where it literally means 'bottle'. the semantic leap from 'bottle' to 'failure' is theatrical in origin. one popular theory suggests it comes from the phrase "far fiasco," used in italian comedy to describe an actor's performance that 'made a bottle'—that is, it fell flat. another theory links it to the shattering of a glass bottle, symbolizing a complete breakdown. regardless of the precise origin story, the term was adopted into english to colorfully denote a humiliating or ludicrous collapse.
Analysis
this word is a loanword from italian and is not productively segmented into meaningful morphemes in english.
Examples
the product launch was a complete fiasco, with the demonstration failing in front of the entire audience.
after months of planning, their holiday turned into a fiasco when they missed their flight and lost their luggage.
the play's opening night was a fiasco, with actors forgetting their lines and scenery falling over.