CALM

calm, an adjective meaning peaceful, quiet; particularly used of the weather, free from wind or storm, or of the sea, opposed to rough. the word appears in french _calme_, through which it came into english, in spanish, portuguese and italian _calma_. most authorities follow diez (_etym. worterbuch der romanischen sprachen_) in tracing the origin to the low latin _cauma_, an adaptation of greek [greek: kauma], burning heat, [greek: kaiein], to burn. the portuguese _calma_ has this meaning as well as that of quiet. the connexion would be heat of the day, rest during that period, so quiet, rest, peacefulness. the insertion of the _l_, which in english pronunciation disappears, is probably due to the latin _calor_, heat, with which the word was associated.