calm

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French calme, itself probably from Old Italian calma. Calma may derive from Late Latin cauma (“heat of the midday sun”), from Ancient Greek καῦμα (kaûma, “heat, especially of the sun”), from καίω (kaíō, “I burn”), or possibly from Latin caleō, from Ancient Greek (Doric) κάλεoς (káleos) (of the Ionic κήλεος (kḗleos, “burning”)). See also cauma.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /kɑːm/
• (US) IPA^(key): /kɑ(l)m/, /kɔ(ː)m/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑːm

Adjective

calm (comparative calmer or more calm, superlative calmest or most calm)

1. (of a person) Peaceful, quiet, especially free from anger and anxiety.
2. (of a place or situation) Free of noise and disturbance.
3. (of water) with little waves on the surface.
4. Without wind or storm.

Noun

calm (countable and uncountable, plural calms)

1. (in a person) The state of being calm; peacefulness; absence of worry, anger, fear or other strong negative emotion.
2. (in a place or situation) The state of being calm; absence of noise and disturbance.
3. A period of time without wind.
   • Bible, Mark iv. 39

     The wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Verb

calm (third-person singular simple present calms, present participle calming, simple past and past participle calmed)

1. (transitive) To make calm.

   to calm a crying baby

   to calm the passions

   • Dryden

     to calm the tempest raised by Aeolus

2. (intransitive) To become calm.

Anagrams

• CAML, CLAM, Caml, clam

Etymology

From calma, probably in imitation of French calme (adjective) and Spanish calmo.

Adjective

calm (feminine calma, masculine plural calms, feminine plural calmes)

1. calm

Etymology

Borrowed from French calme.

Noun

calm

1. composure (calmness of mind or matter, self-possession)