calamitous Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective satellite (of events) having extremely unfortunate or dire consequences; bringing ruin
    fatal; disastrous; black; fateful.
    • the stock market crashed on Black Friday
    • a calamitous defeat
    • the battle was a disastrous end to a disastrous campaign
    • such doctrines, if true, would be absolutely fatal to my theory"- Charles Darwin
    • it is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it"- Douglas MacArthur
    • a fateful error

WordNet

Ca*lam"i*tous adjective
Etymology
L. Calamitosus; cf. F. calamiteux.
Definitions
  1. Suffering calamity; wretched; miserable. Obs.
    Ten thousands of calamitous persons. South.
  2. Producing, or attended with distress and misery; making wretched; wretched; unhappy. "This sad and calamitous condition." South. "A calamitous prison" Milton. Syn. -- Miserable; deplorable; distressful; afflictive; grievous; baleful; disastrous; adverse; unhappy; severe; sad; unfortunate. -- Ca*lam"i*tous*ly, adv. -- Ca*lam"i*tous*ness, n.

Webster 1913