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.
But Hanke warned that lawmakers were basing their policy decisions on fears of an unlikely calamity.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026
Leading a mule train into the tunnels, Ondro faces a calamity that enters the history books.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026
He also said that the government had declared a "state of calamity" in Juiz de Fora.
From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026
It was the beginning of an utter calamity out of touch for Ewan Ashman, in particular, and his successor, George Turner.
From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026
As in: If JB hadn’t been acting so silly and playing around, he would have cut one lock instead of five from my head and avoided this calamity.
From "The Crossover" by Kwame Alexander
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.
