calm

B1 Topic:Senses & Perception

US /kɑm/ UK /kɑːm/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like come /ʌ/ vs /ɑ/ Sounds like cam /æ/ vs /ɑ/

Freq #674

Meanings

1

adj
Relaxed and not worried, angry, or upset.

She stayed calm even when the news was bad.
2

adj
Without wind, storms, or rough water.

The sea was calm and the sky was clear.
3

verb
To make someone feel more relaxed and less upset.

She tried to calm the crying baby.
4

noun
A peaceful state with no worry, noise, or trouble.

After the storm, a deep calm settled over the village.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · relaxed and not worried,... unagitated

More allay appease collected composedcool-headedease equableequanimitableequanimouseven-keeledeven-mindedeven-tempered

Opposites

agitate angry excite nervous peevish

Word family

Forms calmedcalmercalmestcalmingcalms

Derived forms becalmcalmencalmfulcalmishcalmly calmnesscalmthcalmyencalmice-calmuncalmuncalmable

Related forms calmness pacify temperate

Etymology

From Middle English calm, calme, from Middle French calme, probably from Old Italian calma, of uncertain origin. 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, “to burn”), or possibly from Latin caleō. Compare also Lombardic *chalm, *chalma (“frozenness”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *kalmaz (“frozenness, cold”). Displaced native Middle English smilte (“quiet, still, gentle”) from Old English smylte (“quiet, tranquil, calm, serene”).

calm Middle English calme Middle French calma roa-oit cauma la-lat καῦμα Ancient Greek caleō Latin

View etymology graph ->

External links

# calm

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj, verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /kɑm/
**IPA (UK):** /kɑːm/
**Frequency rank:** 674

## Meanings
1. Relaxed and not worried, angry, or upset.
2. Without wind, storms, or rough water.
3. To make someone feel more relaxed and less upset.
4. A peaceful state with no worry, noise, or trouble.

## Examples
- She stayed calm even when the news was bad.
- The sea was calm and the sky was clear.
- She tried to calm the crying baby.
- After the storm, a deep calm settled over the village.

## Synonyms
- allay
- appease
- collected
- composed
- cool-headed
- ease
- equable
- equanimitable
- equanimous
- even-keeled
- even-minded
- even-tempered

## Antonyms
- agitate
- angry
- excite
- nervous
- peevish

## Derived Forms
- becalm
- calmen
- calmful
- calmish
- calmly
- calmness
- calmth
- calmy
- encalm
- ice-calm
- uncalm
- uncalmable

## Related Forms
- calmness
- pacify
- temperate

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: calm
- Root: calme
- Root: calma
- Root: cauma
- Root: καῦμα
- Root: caleō

## Etymology
From Middle English calm, calme, from Middle French calme, probably from Old Italian calma, of uncertain origin. 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, “to burn”), or possibly from Latin caleō. Compare also Lombardic *chalm, *chalma (“frozenness”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *kalmaz (“frozenness, cold”). Displaced native Middle English smilte (“quiet, still, gentle”) from Old English smylte (“quiet, tranquil, calm, serene”).

## AI Etymology
Calm comes from Middle English calm, calme, from Middle French calme, probably from Old Italian calma, of uncertain origin. 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, “to burn”), or possibly from Latin caleō. Compare also Lombardic *chalm, *chalma (“frozenness”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *kalmaz (“frozenness, cold”). Displaced native Middle English smilte (“quiet, still, gentle”) from Old English smylte (“quiet, tranquil, calm, serene”).

## Topics
- Senses & Perception

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calm

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