calamitous

  • 1Calamitous — Ca*lam i*tous, a. [L. Calamitosus; cf. F. calamiteux.] [1913 Webster] 1. Suffering calamity; wretched; miserable. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Ten thousands of calamitous persons. South. [1913 Webster] 2. Producing, or attended with distress and misery; …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2calamitous — index adverse (negative), deadly, deplorable, dire, disastrous, fatal, harmful, hostile …

    Law dictionary

  • 3calamitous — 1540s, from Fr. calamiteux (16c.), from L. calamitosus causing loss, destructive, from calamitas (see CALAMITY (Cf. calamity)) …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 4calamitous — *unlucky, disastrous, ill starred, ill fated, unfortunate, luckless, hapless …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 5calamitous — [adj] disastrous; tragic adverse, afflictive, blighting, cataclysmic, catastrophic, deadly, deplorable, devastating, dire, fatal, grievous, harmful, heartbreaking, lamentable, messy, pernicious, regrettable, ruinous, unfavorable, unfortunate,… …

    New thesaurus

  • 6calamitous — [kə lam′ə təs] adj. [MFr calamiteux < L calamitosus] causing or bringing calamity calamitously adv …

    English World dictionary

  • 7calamitous — [[t]kəlæ̱mɪtəs[/t]] ADJ GRADED If you describe an event or situation as calamitous, you mean it is very unfortunate or serious. [FORMAL] ...the calamitous state of the country. ...a calamitous air crash. Syn: disastrous …

    English dictionary

  • 8calamitous — adjective Date: 1545 being, causing, or accompanied by calamity < calamitous events > • calamitously adverb …

    New Collegiate Dictionary

  • 9calamitous — calamitously, adv. calamitousness, n. /keuh lam i teuhs/, adj. causing or involving calamity; disastrous: a calamitous defeat. [1535 45; CALAMIT(Y) + OUS] Syn. catastrophic, ruinous, devastating. Ant. beneficial, advantageous. * * * …

    Universalium

  • 10calamitous — adjective their calamitous adventure became legendary Syn: disastrous, catastrophic, cataclysmic, devastating, dire, tragic; literary direful …

    Thesaurus of popular words