noun
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a disaster or misfortune, esp one causing extreme havoc, distress, or misery
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a state or feeling of deep distress or misery
Related Words
See disaster.
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”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On Sunday, one club could go a long way to saving their season and edging the other towards the drop as crisis meets calamity.
From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026
But Hanke warned that lawmakers were basing their policy decisions on fears of an unlikely calamity.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026
He also said that the government had declared a "state of calamity" in Juiz de Fora.
From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026
Our report found that by the time of the Deepwater Horizon calamity, federal regulators had been routinely rubber-stamping new ventures into deep water.
From Slate • Jan. 14, 2026
He could not have fallen victim to any other sort of calamity.
From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
