calm
/kɑːm/
adjective
Origin
Ancient Greek
kauma — heat of the day
Overview
Meaning Now
- Free from agitation, excitement, or strong emotion; tranquil.
- Not stormy; characterized by a lack of wind or rough water.
Literal older meaning
Heat, specifically the heat of the day that causes rest.
Language path
Ancient Greek → Latin → Old Occitan/Old French → English
Earliest form
calme
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The evolution of 'calm' represents a classic semantic shift where the term for the 'heat of the day' (kauma), which necessitated midday rest in Mediterranean climates, gradually evolved to describe the state of rest and stillness itself.
Evolution
- Ancient Greek
kauma
“burning heat”
- Vulgar Latin
cauma
“midday rest due to heat”
Semantic shift from heat to the rest taken because of heat.
- Old French
calme
“stillness”
- Middle English
calme
“still, tranquil”
Connections
Word parts
calm
root
stillness/heat
Related across languages
French
calme
calm
Spanish
calma
calm
Italian
calma
calm
Explore next
Related to calm
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.