E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Calam’ity.
The beating down of standing corn by wind or storm. The word is derived from the Latin calamus (a stalk of corn). Hence, Cicero calls a storm Calamito’sa tempestas (a corn-levelling tempest).
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“Another ill accident is drought, and the spoiling of the corn; inasmuch as the word ‘calamity’ was first derived from calamus (stalk), when the corn could not get out of the ear.”—Bacon.
