Calamity — may refer to: * A disaster, a terrible event * Al Qaria (English: The Calamity ), the 101st sura of the Qur an * Calamity Jane, a nineteenth century American frontierwoman ** Calamity Jane (1953 film), a 1953 film based on the person * Calamity… … Wikipedia
Calamity — Ca*lam i*ty .; pl. {Calamities}. [L. calamitas, akin to in columis unharmed: cf. F. calamit[ e]] 1. Any great misfortune or cause of misery; generally applied to events or disasters which produce extensive evil, either to communities or… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
calamity — I noun act of God, adverse fortune, adversity, affliction, bad fortune, blight, calamitas, cataclysm, catastrophe, clades, destruction, disaster, evil fortune, evil lot, evil luck, grievous harm, hardship, ill fortune, loss, major misfortune,… … Law dictionary
calamity — early 15c., from M.Fr. calamite (14c.), from L. calamitatem (nom. calamitas) damage, loss, failure; disaster, misfortune, adversity, origin obscure. Early etymologists associated it with calamus straw, but it is perhaps from a lost root preserved … Etymology dictionary
calamity — *disaster, catastrophe, cataclysm Analogous words: *accident, casualty, mishap: *misfortune, mischance, adversity, mishap: tribulation, visitation, affliction, *trial, cross: ruin, wreck (see RUIN) Antonyms: boon Contrasted words: fortune, luck… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
calamity — [n] disaster; tragedy adversity, affliction, blue ruin*, cataclysm, catastrophe, collapse, cross, curtains, distress, downfall, hardship, holy mess*, misadventure, mischance, misfortune, mishap, reverse, ruin, scourge, the worst*, trial,… … New thesaurus
calamity — ► NOUN (pl. calamities) ▪ an event causing great and sudden damage or distress. DERIVATIVES calamitous adjective calamitously adverb. ORIGIN Latin calamitas … English terms dictionary
calamity — [kə lam′ətē] n. pl. calamities [MFr calamité < L calamitas: see CLASTIC] 1. deep trouble or misery 2. any extreme misfortune bringing great loss and sorrow; disaster SYN. DISASTER … English World dictionary
calamity — [[t]kəlæ̱mɪti[/t]] calamities N VAR A calamity is an event that causes a great deal of damage, destruction, or personal distress. [FORMAL] He described drugs as the greatest calamity of the age. ...the calamity of war... It could only end in… … English dictionary
calamity — UK [kəˈlæmətɪ] / US noun [countable/uncountable] Word forms calamity : singular calamity plural calamities a) an event that causes serious damage, or causes a lot of people to suffer, for example a flood or fire b) used humorously about something … English dictionary