Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1300-1400
Language: Old French
Origin: calme, from Late Latin cauma 'heat'; because everything is quiet and still in the heat of the middle part of the day

calm

2 noun
     
calm2 [singular, uncountable]
1 a situation or time that is quiet and peaceful
calm of
They remained on the terrace after dinner, enjoying the calm of the evening.
morning/afternoon/evening calm
A scream shattered the late afternoon calm.
Hindu leaders appealed for calm (=asked that the public stay calm) after a temple was burnt to the ground.
The presence of soldiers helped restore calm.
The last five years have seen a period of relative calm.
2

the calm before the storm

a calm peaceful situation that will not continue because a big argument, problem etc is coming
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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