# calm

> English word · Adjective · IPA /kɑm/ · frequency rank #2,777

## Definitions
1. Peaceful, quiet, especially free from anger and anxiety.
2. Free of noise and disturbance.
3. with few or no waves on the surface; not rippled.
4. Without wind or storm.
5. Good; alright; cool; OK.

## Etymology
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”).

## Easily confused with
- **CM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/calm-vs-cm)
- **Cl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/calm-vs-cl)
- **can** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/calm-vs-can)
- **car** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/calm-vs-car)
- **cat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/calm-vs-cat)
- **cap** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/calm-vs-cap)
- **cam** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/calm-vs-cam)
- **cum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/calm-vs-cum)
- **col** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/calm-vs-col)
- **cas** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/calm-vs-cas)
- **Cao** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/calm-vs-cao)
- **cpl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/calm-vs-cpl)
- **CRM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/calm-vs-crm)
- **CFL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/calm-vs-cfl)
- **cel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/calm-vs-cel)
- **cay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/calm-vs-cay)
- **CSM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/calm-vs-csm)
- **CDL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/calm-vs-cdl)
- **cem** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/calm-vs-cem)
- **CLP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/calm-vs-clp)

## Common misspellings (5)
`aclm`, `callm`, `calmm`, `caml`, `ccalm`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/calm