Calamitous
/kəˈlæmɪtəs/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjCausing or involving calamity; disastrous.
adjOf a person: involved in a calamity; hence, distressed, miserable.
Sentence Examples
The earthquake had calamitous effects on town.
The calamitous event changed her life forever.
The volcanic eruption had calamitous effects on the nearby villages.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The earthquake caused a ____ destruction that left the entire city in ruins.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The failure of the dam had ____ results for the whole valley city.
Word Origin & History
Borrowed from French calamiteux (“calamitous”) (see French -eux, English -ous), from Latin calamitōsus (“destructive, disastrous, ruinous, calamitous”), a contraction of calamitātōsus, from calamitāt- + -ōsus (suffix meaning ‘full of; prone to’ forming adjectives from nouns); calamitāt- is the oblique stem of calamitās (“disaster, misfortune, calamity; damage, harm; loss”), from *calamis (“damaged”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kelh₂- (“to beat; to break”)) + -tās (suffix forming abstract nouns denoting a condition or state). By surface analysis, calamity + -ous.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"[T]he fallacie of Æquivocation and Amphibologie, […] conclude from the ambiguity of ſome vvord, or the ambiguous ſintaxis of many put together. From this fallacy aroſe the calamitous error of the Jevves, miſapprehending the Propheſies of their Meſſias, and expounding them alvvayes unto literall and temporal expectation."
— 1646, Thomas Browne, “Of the Nearer and More Immediate Causes of Popular Errours, both in the Wiser, and Common Sort, Misapprehension, Fallacy, or False Distinction, Credulity, Supinity, Adherence unto Antiquitie, Tradition, and Authoritie”, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], London: […] T[homas] H[arper] for Edward Dod, […], →OCLC, 1st book, page 13:
"The next year vvas calamitous, bringing ſtrange fluxes upon men, and murren upon Cattel."
— 1670, John Milton, “The Sixth Book”, in The History of Britain, that Part Especially now Call’d England. […], London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for James Allestry, […] , →OCLC, page 245:
"In former times it vvas a diſmal and calamitous thing for a tradeſman to break: vvhen it befell a family, it put all into confuſion and diſtraction; […]"
— 1725 (indicated as 1726), [Daniel Defoe], “Letter VII. Of the Tradesman in Distress, and Becoming Bankrupt.”, in The Complete English Tradesman, in Familiar Letters; Directing Him in All the Several Parts and Progressions of Trade. […], volume I, London: […] Charles Rivington […], →OCLC, page 83:
"Let him therefore lay dovvn his employment, vvhatever it be, vvhen he can no longer exert his former activity or attention; for nothing is more calamitous, than to croud the ſtage till a general hiſs commands him to depart."
— 1752 March 20 (Gregorian calendar), Samuel Johnson, “No. 207. Monday, March 10. 1752.”, in The Rambler, volume VIII, Edinburgh: […] Sands, Murray, and Cochran; sold by W. Gordon, C. Wright, J. Yair, […], published 1752, →OCLC, page 169:
"For critics, foremost among them liberal intellectuals and human rights activists, Xi [Jinping]'s first term has proved calamitous. Some had hoped he would prove a political reformer. Instead, China's authoritarian leader has waged war on dissent with unexpected ferocity, throwing some opponents in jail and forcing others overseas."
— 2017 October 14, Tom Phillips, “Chairman Xi crushes dissent but poor believe he's making China great”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 16 Mar 2025:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The earthquake caused a ____ destruction that left the entire city in ruins.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The failure of the dam had ____ results for the whole valley city.