Etymograph

English

calm

Calm comes from Middle French calme, probably from Old Italian calma, of uncertain origin.

  1. Old Italianmoderncalma‘calm’uncertain
  2. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600calme‘calm’
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500calm
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1611same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Old Italianmoderncalma‘calm’uncertain
  2. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600calme‘calm’
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500calm
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1611same form

Earliest quotation: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “The wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”

The story

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.

Every English word from Old Italian calma

Today it means

adj Peaceful, quiet, especially free from anger and anxiety.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Old Italian calma / calm

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