calamity

American  

[kuh-lam-i-tee] / kəˈlæm ɪ ti /

noun

calamities plural

1. a great misfortune or disaster, as a flood or serious injury.

   Synonyms:

   mishap, mischance, cataclysm, catastrophe, blow, reverse

2. grievous affliction; adversity; misery.

   the calamity of war.

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calamity British  

/ kəˈlæmɪtɪ /

noun

1. a disaster or misfortune, esp one causing extreme havoc, distress, or misery

2. a state or feeling of deep distress or misery

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Synonym Usage

See disaster.

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• calamities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of calamity

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English calamite, from Middle French, from Latin calamitāt-, stem of calamitās (also kadamitas ) “crop failure, disaster,” of disputed origin; often considered to be derived from calam(us) “cane, reed” + -itās -ity ( def. ), but perhaps instead akin to columus “safe,” incolumitās “safety”

Explanation

Use the word calamity to describe an event that causes great harm and misery, or a general state of distress or misery: the calamity of war. Near synonyms are catastrophe and disaster. The noun calamity is from Middle English calamytey, from Latin calamitas, a word which might be related to Latin clades "destruction." Calamity Jane was the nickname of a 19th-century woman living on the U.S. frontier. She claimed to have some very exciting adventures.

Related Words

• adversity
• cataclysm
• catastrophe
• collapse
• hardship
• misfortune
• mishap
• scourge
• woe