Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “calamity” come from?

Calamity derives from Middle French calamité, from Latin calamitas, from Old Latin kadamitas, from Proto-Italic kalamos, from Proto-Indo-European kl̥h₂d-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kelh₂-.

calamity (English): An event resulting in great loss; The distress...

Definitions

  1. An event resulting in great loss; The distress...

Ancestry of “calamity”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchcalamité—
2Latincalamitās—
Every word from Latin calamitās →