calm

The story

1. Latin · derived fromcaleō
2. Ancient Greek · derived fromκαῦμα“heat, especially of the sun”
3. Late Latin · derived fromcauma“heat of the midday sun”
4. Old Italian · derived fromcalma
5. Middle French · derived fromcalme
6. Middle English · inherited fromcalm
7. English todaycalm

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”).

Words from the same roots