calm

English edit

Alternative forms edit

calme (obsolete)

Etymology edit

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, “I burn”), or possibly from Latin caleō. Compare also Lombardic *chalm, *chalma (“frozenness”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *kalmaz (“frozenness, cold”).

Displaced native Middle English smilte (“quite, still, gentle”) from Old English smylte (“quiet, tranquil, calm, serene”).

Pronunciation edit

(England, Wales) IPA^(key): /kɑːm/, [kʰɑːm]
(General Australian, New Zealand) IPA^(key): /kaːm/, [kʰɐːm]
(US) IPA^(key): /kɑm/, /kɑlm/, /kɔlm/, (archaic) /kæm/^[1]
- Audio (US) (file)
(Canada) IPA^(key): [kʰäː(ɫ)m], [kʰɒː(ɫ)m], [kʰa(ː)m]
(Ireland, Scotland) IPA^(key): /kam/
(nonstandard, now chiefly dialectal) IPA^(key): /kaɹm/
Rhymes: -ɑːm, -ɑːlm, -ɔːlm, -ɔːm, -æm

Adjective edit

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

(of a person) Peaceful, quiet, especially free from anger and anxiety.
Antonyms: stressed, nervous, anxious
(of a place or situation) Free of noise and disturbance.
Antonym: disturbed
- 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, Canto XI:
  Calm is the morn without a sound,
  ⁠Calm as to suit a calmer grief,
  ⁠And only thro’ the faded leaf
  The chestnut pattering to the ground: […]
(of water) with few or no waves on the surface; not rippled.
Without wind or storm.
Antonyms: windy, stormy

Synonyms edit

See also Thesaurus:calm

Derived terms edit

Translations edit

free from anger and anxiety

Apache:
Western Apache: nkegohenʼą́ą́go
Arabic: هَادِئ (hādiʔ)
Armenian: հանգիստ (hy) (hangist), հանդարտ (hy) (handart), խախանդ (hy) (xaxand)
Assamese: শান্ত (xanto), শাঁত (xãt)
Aymara: aliqa (ay)
Azerbaijani: arxayın
Bashkir: тыныс (tınıs)
Belarusian: спако́йны (be) (spakójny)
Bulgarian: спокоен (bg) (spokoen)
Catalan: calm (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 平靜／平静 (zh) (píngjìng), 安靜／安静 (zh) (ānjìng)
Corsican: calmu (co)
Czech: klidný (cs) m
Danish: rolig (da)
Dutch: vredig (nl), kalm (nl)
Esperanto: trankvila (eo)
Finnish: rauhallinen (fi), tyyni (fi), levollinen (fi)
French: calme (fr)
Galician: calmo m
Georgian: მშვიდი (mšvidi), წყნარი (ka) (c̣q̇nari)
German: ruhig (de)
Gothic: 𐌵𐌰𐌹𐍂𐍂𐌿𐍃 (qairrus)
Greek: ήρεμος (el) (íremos)
Ancient: γαληνός (galēnós)
Hebrew: רגוע (he) m (ragua)
Hindi: शांत (hi) (śānt)
Hungarian: nyugodt (hu)
Irish: suaimhneach, socair
Italian: calmo (it)
Japanese: 穏やかな (ja) (odayaka na), 静かな (ja) (shizuka na), 平穏な (ja) (heion na)
Korean: 고요하다 (ko) (goyohada), 잠잠하다 (ko) (jamjamhada)
Latgalian: romons, mīrons
Latin: tranquillus, sēdātus, placidus
Latvian: rāms (lv)
Lithuanian: ramus (lt)
Macedonian: ми́рен (míren)
Malay: tenang (ms)
Maori: mauritau
Northern Sami: ráfálaš
Norwegian Bokmål: rolig (no)
Norwegian Nynorsk: roleg
Occitan: calme (oc)
Old English: smylte, stille
Ottoman Turkish: ساكن (sakin), دولك (dölek)
Persian: آرام (fa) (ârâm)
Polish: spokojny (pl) m, opanowany (pl) m
Portuguese: tranquilo (pt), calmo (pt), sossegado (pt)
Romanian: liniștit (ro), calm (ro)
Russian: споко́йный (ru) m (spokójnyj), ти́хий (ru) m (tíxij)
Scottish Gaelic: suaimhneach
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: миран

Roman: miran (sh)
Slovak: pokojný (sk)
Slovene: miren (sl)
Spanish: calmado (es)
Swedish: lugn (sv), rofylld (sv)
Tajik: ором (tg) (orom)
Tok Pisin: belisi
Turkish: sakin (tr), durgun (tr), dingin (tr)
Ukrainian: спокі́йний (spokíjnyj)
Venetian: cet (vec)
Yiddish: רויִק (ruik)
Zazaki: vınderde, sakin

free of noise and disturbance

Armenian: հանգիստ (hy) (hangist), հանդարտ (hy) (handart), խախանդ (hy) (xaxand)
Bashkir: тыныс (tınıs)
Belarusian: спакойны (be) (spakójny)
Bulgarian: тих (bg) (tih), мирен (bg) (miren)
Catalan: calm (ca)
Czech: klidný (cs) m
Danish: rolig (da), stille (da)
Dutch: kalm (nl), rustig (nl)
Esperanto: serena
Finnish: rauhallinen (fi), tyyni (fi), levollinen (fi)
French: calme (fr) m or f, tranquille (fr)
Georgian: წყნარი (ka) (c̣q̇nari), მშვიდი (mšvidi)
German: ruhig (de)
Greek: γαλήνιος (el) (galínios)
Hebrew: שלוו (shalev)
Hungarian: csendes (hu)
Irish: suaimhneach, socair, ciúin
Japanese: 平穏な (ja) (heion na), 泰平な (ja) (taihei na), 平静な (ja) (heisei na)
Latin: tranquillus, placidus
Luxembourgish: roueg
Macedonian: ми́рен (míren), спо́коен (spókoen), ти́вок (tívok)
Northern Sami: ráfálaš, goalki
Norwegian Bokmål: rolig (no), fredelig (no)
Norwegian Nynorsk: roleg, fredeleg
Old English: smylte, stille
Plautdietsch: stell
Polish: cichy (pl), spokojny (pl)
Portuguese: tranquilo (pt), calmo (pt)
Romanian: liniștit (ro), calm (ro), senin (ro)
Russian: споко́йный (ru) (spokójnyj)
Scottish Gaelic: suaimhneach
Spanish: calmado (es)
Swedish: lugn (sv), stilla (sv)
Tatar: калим (qalim)
Turkish: sakin (tr), durgun (tr), dingin (tr)
Ukrainian: спокі́йний (spokíjnyj), за́ти́шни́й (zátýšnýj)
Yiddish: רויִק (ruik)

(of water) with few or no waves on the surface

Aklanon: malinaw
Danish: stille (da)
Dutch: kalm (nl)
Georgian: წყნარი (ka) (c̣q̇nari)
Greek:
Ancient: γαληνός (galēnós)
Hebrew: דִּמְמַת רוּחַ (he) f (dimemat ruakh), גַּלֵּינֵי (he) m (galeyney), שְׁטִיל (he) m (shtil)
Maori: marino
Maranao: malinaw
Northern Sami: goalki
Old English: smylte, stille
Polish: spokojny (pl) m
Portuguese: tranquilo (pt), calmo (pt)
Romanian: liniștit (ro), calm (ro)
Swedish: stilla (sv)
Turkish: sakin (tr), durgun (tr), dingin (tr)

without wind or storm

Bulgarian: безветрен (bg) (bezvetren)
Dutch: windstil (nl)
French: calme (fr) m or f
Georgian: წყნარი (ka) (c̣q̇nari)
German: windstill (de)
Japanese: 穏やかな (ja) (odayaka na), 無風の (ja) (mufū no)
Macedonian: бе́зветрен (bézvetren)
Maori: tāhengihengi, mārū (of the weather)
Northern Sami: goalki
Norwegian:
Bokmål: vindstille
Old English: smylte, stille
Pitjantjatjara: atan
Romanian: liniștit (ro), calm (ro), senin (ro)
Spanish: calmado (es)
Swedish: vindstilla (sv)
Turkish: sakin (tr), dingin (tr)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

Irish: ^{(please verify)} calma
Mongolian: ^{(please verify)} дөлгөөн (mn) (dölgöön)

Noun edit

calm (countable and uncountable, plural calms)

(in a person) The state of being calm; peacefulness; absence of worry, anger, fear or other strong negative emotion.
- 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, Canto XI:
  Calm on the seas, and silver sleep,
  ⁠And waves that sway themselves in rest,
  ⁠And dead calm in that noble breast
  Which heaves but with the heaving deep.
(in a place or situation) The state of being calm; absence of noise and disturbance.
A period of time without wind.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Mark 4:39:
  The wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
- 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, chapter 64, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 324:
  It was a calm ; so, forming a tandem of three boats, we commenced the slow business of towing the trophy to the Pequod.

Synonyms edit

See also Thesaurus:calmness

Derived terms edit

Translations edit

condition of being unworried and free from anger

Armenian: հանգստություն (hy) (hangstutʻyun), խաղաղություն (hy) (xaġaġutʻyun)
Bulgarian: спокойствие (bg) n (spokojstvie), покой (bg) m (pokoj)
Catalan: calma (ca) f
Chinese:
Mandarin: 平靜／平静 (zh) (píngjìng)
Czech: klid (cs) m
Danish: ro (da) c
Dutch: sereniteit (nl) f
Finnish: rauhallisuus (fi), tyyneys (fi), levollisuus (fi)
Greek: ηρεμία (el) f (iremía)
Hebrew: רוגע m (roga)
Japanese: 平穏 (ja) (heion), 平静 (ja) (heisei)
Macedonian: спо́којство n (spókojstvo), спо́кој m (spókoj), мир m (mir)
Northern Sami: ráfálašvuohta
Polish: spokój (pl) m
Portuguese: calma (pt) f
Romanian: liniște (ro) f
Russian: поко́й (ru) m (pokój), споко́йствие (ru) n (spokójstvije)
Spanish: sosiego (es) m, calma (es) f
Swedish: ro (sv) c, lugn (sv) n
Turkish: sükûnet (tr), dinginlik (tr)
Ukrainian: спо́кій m (spókij)

the state with absence of noise and disturbance

Armenian: հանգիստ (hy) (hangist), խաղաղություն (hy) (xaġaġutʻyun)
Bulgarian: тишина (bg) f (tišina)
Catalan: calma (ca) f
Danish: ro (da) c, stilhed (da)
Dutch: rust (nl) m or f
Finnish: rauhallisuus (fi), tyyneys (fi), levollisuus (fi)
German: Ruhe (de) f
Greek: γαλήνη (el) f (galíni), ησυχία (el) f (isychía)
Ancient: ἡσυχία f (hēsukhía)
Hebrew: שלווה (he) f (shalva)
Japanese: 平安 (ja) (heian), 平静 (ja) (heisei)
Latin: quiēs (la) f
Macedonian: ти́шина f (tíšina)
Northern Sami: goalki
Polish: spokój (pl) m
Portuguese: calma (pt) f, tranquilidade (pt) f, sossego (pt) m
Romanian: liniște (ro) f
Russian: поко́й (ru) m (pokój), тишина́ (ru) f (tišiná)
Spanish: sosiego (es) m
Swedish: ro (sv) c, stillhet (sv) c, lugn (sv) n
Tatar: калим (qalim)
Turkish: sükûnet (tr), dinginlik (tr)
Ukrainian: спо́кій m (spókij)

period without wind

Bulgarian: безветрие (bg) n (bezvetrie), затишие (bg) n (zatišie)
Catalan: calma (ca) f
Danish: vindstille
Dutch: windstilte (nl) f
Estonian: tuulevaikus
Finnish: tyven (fi), tyyni (fi), pläkä
French: calme plat (fr) m, calme (fr) m
German: Windstille (de) f
Gothic: 𐍅𐌹𐍃 n (wis)
Greek:
Ancient: γαλήνη f (galḗnē)
Hungarian: szélcsend (hu)
Japanese: 無風 (ja) (mufū)
Latin: malacia f
Macedonian: зати́шие n (zatíšie), за́тишје n (zátišje), безве́трина f (bezvétrina), безве́трие n (bezvétrie) (archaic)
Maori: rahopē (refers to condition at sea), āio
Northern Sami: goalki
Portuguese: calmaria (pt) f
Russian: зати́шье (ru) n (zatíšʹje), безве́трие (ru) n (bezvétrije), штиль (ru) m (štilʹ) (nautical)
Scottish Gaelic: fèath m or f
Spanish: calma (es) f
Swahili: shwari (sw)
Swedish: stiltje (sv), bleke (sv), vindstilla (sv) c
Turkish: dinginlik (tr)
Ukrainian: зати́шшя n (zatýššja), безві́тря (uk) n (bezvítrja)

Verb edit

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

(transitive) To make calm.
to calm a crying baby

to calm the passions
- 1697, Virgil, “(please specify the book number)”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
  to calm the tempest raised by Aeolus
(intransitive) To become calm.