an event that causes great damage to people’s lives, property, etc. synonym disaster灾难;灾祸 The country suffered a series of calamities during the 1980s. 该国在20世纪80年代遭受了一系列灾难。 His financial help saved the magazine from total calamity. 他的资金援助将那本杂志从彻底的危难中拯救出来。
Word Originlate Middle English (in the sense ‘disaster,’ and‘ distress’): from Old French calamite, from Latin calamitas.