calamity

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Definitions (6)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. noun An event that brings terrible loss, lasting distress, or severe affliction; a disaster: A hurricane would be a calamity for this low-lying coastal region.
  2. noun Dire distress resulting from loss or tragedy.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (2)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (1)

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Examples (50)

  • The ones I least envied in this calamity were the Maid's crew, who were up in controls trying to figure where we were and even when—with no reference points. —  Port Eternity
  • However, as things panned out, such a calamity was averted. —  Independent.ie - Frontpage RSS Feed
  • Every day that passes without another calamity is a day for quiet rejoicing. —  Benedict Brogan's political blog
  • Jesting with Mr. Beecher and other friends in Elmira, I said there seemed to be a likelihood that the world would discard Adam and accept the monkey, and that in the course of time Adam's very name would be forgotten in the earth; therefore this calamity ought to be averted; a monument would accomplish this, and Elmira ought not to waste this honorable opportunity to do Adam a favor and herself a credit Then the unexpected happened. —  The 30,000 Dollar Bequest and Other Stories
  • I pray you all to pray with me, that God will strengthen me to endure and abide the pain that I am to suffer, and grant me this grace, that the loss of my hand do not withdraw any part of my duty and affection toward her majesty, and because, when so many veins of blood are opened, it is uncertain how they may be stayed, and what wilt be the event thereof The hand ready on the block to be stricken off, he said often to the people: "Pray for me now my calamity is at hand." —  Memoirs of the Court of Queen Elizabeth
 

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Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

Allen's Allen's Synonyms and Antonyms

Used in the same context Used in the Same Context

misfortune ·  disaster ·  hardship ·  peril ·  misery ·  woe ·  famine ·  humiliation ·  disgrace ·  temptation ·  defeat ·  sickness

Used in the same contextWord Family

calamity:   calamities
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English calamite, from Old French, from Latin calamitās.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. from French calamité = Provencal calamitat = Spanish calamidad = Italian calamità, from Latin calamita(t-)s, loss, injury, damage, misfortune, disaster, ruin, prob. connected with in-columis, unharmed; root uncertain.
 

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/kəˈlæməti/
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