Also 5–6 calamyte, 6–7 calamitie. [a. F. calamité, f. L. calamitāt-em (nom. calamitas), damage, disaster, adversity; by Latin writers associated with calamus straw, cornstalk, etc., in the sense of damage to crops from hail, mildew, etc. But there is difficulty in reconciling this with the force of the suffix, which etymologically could give only some such sense as ‘the quality of being a calamus, reed, or straw’ (cf. cīvitas, auctoritas, bonitas); hence some would refer it to a lost *calamis ‘injured, damaged,’ whence incolumis ‘uninjured, sound.’
Bacon (Sylva, § 669) thus fancifully etymologized the word ‘Another ill Accident is, Drouth, at the Spindling of the Corne; Which with vs is rare; But in Hotter Countries, common: Insomuch as the Word, Calamitas, was first deriued from Calamus, when the Corne could not get out of the Stalke.’]
1. The state or condition of grievous affliction or adversity; deep distress, trouble, or misery, arising from some adverse circumstance or event.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, xxii. 80. He was restored … from anguisshe and calamyte in to right grete prosperite.
c. 1529. Wolsey, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., I. 103, II. 6. I shalbe releuyd and in this my calamyte holpyn.
1555. Eden, Decades W. Ind., II. I. (Arb.), 109. They fell from one calamitie into an other.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., III. iii. 3. Thou art wedded to calamitie.
1623. Cockeram, Calamity, misery.
1752. Johnson, Rambl., No. 203, ¶ 3. So full is the world of calamity, that every source of pleasure is polluted.
1754. Richardson, Grandison, III. xxx. 352. I am in calamity, my dear. I would love you if you were in calamity.
1841–4. Emerson, Ess., Compensation, Wks. (Bohn), I. 54. Yet the compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time.
2. A grievous disaster, an event or circumstance causing loss or misery; a distressing misfortune.
1552. Abp. Hamilton, Catech. (1884), 32. Thair is na calamitie … that may chance to man or woman.
1586. Cogan, Haven Health, lxxv. (1636), 81. A griefe of the head, proceeding of a rheume, which is a common calamity of Students.
1671. Milton, Samson, 655. The bearing well of all calamities.
1683. Burnet, trans. More’s Utopia, 143. Because of any great Calamity that may have fallen on their Person.
1748. Johnson, L. P., Wks. 1816, X. 325. It was not his custom to look out for distant calamities.
1871. Morley, Voltaire (1886), 60. Voltaire saw his [Newton’s] death mourned as a public calamity.
