haboob

American

[huh-boob] / həˈbub /

noun

a thick dust storm or sandstorm that blows in the deserts of North Africa and Arabia or on the plains of India.

Etymology

Origin of haboob

First recorded in 1895–1900, haboob is from the Arabic word habūb a strong wind

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The weather service staff were able to see the haboob with their own eyes, a “distinct wall of dust” that “looked just like a classic Arizona dust storm,” according to Wilson.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 12, 2024

A dust wall pushed by thunderstorms, also called a haboob, blew over the Phoenix area on Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

From BBC • Jul. 18, 2023

Photos of an early August haboob showing a massive wall of dust bearing down on Phoenix briefly went viral.

From The Verge • Aug. 21, 2018

Furthermore, even the leading exporters of crude can see the haboob brewing for their product.

From Time • Jan. 25, 2016

In Eastern Washington, near the city of Spokane, an intense dust storm known as a haboob preceded thunderstorms, reducing visibility to zero.

From Reuters • Aug. 13, 2014

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023