mistral

¹

[ mis-truhl, mi-strahl ]

noun

1. a cold, dry, northerly wind common in southern France and neighboring regions.

Mistral

²

[ mee-stral mees-trahl ]

noun

1. Fré·dé·ric [f, r, ey-dey-, reek], 1830–1914, French Provençal poet: Nobel Prize 1904.
2. Ga·bri·e·la [gah-v, r, ee-, e, -lah], Lucila Godoy Alcayaga, 1889–1957, Chilean poet and educator: Nobel Prize in literature 1945.

Mistral

¹

noun

1. mistral MistralFrédéric18301914MFrenchWRITING: poet Frédéric (frederik). 1830–1914, French Provençal poet, who led a movement to revive Provençal language and literature: shared the Nobel prize for literature 1904
2. misˈtral MistralGabriela18891957FChileanWRITING: poetEDUCATION: educationalistPOLITICS: diplomatist Gabriela (ɡaˈβrjela), pen name of Lucila Godoy de Alcayaga. 1889–1957, Chilean poet, educationalist, and diplomatist. Her poetry includes the collection Desolación (1922): Nobel prize for literature 1945

mistral

²

/ mɪˈstrɑːl; ˈmɪstrəl /

noun

1. a strong cold dry wind that blows through the Rhône valley and S France to the Mediterranean coast, mainly in the winter
2. the class of board used in international windsurfing competitions, weighing 15kg and measuring 372cm × 64cm

Word History and Origins

Origin of mistral¹

1595–1605; < Middle French < Provençal; Old Provençal maistral < Latin magistrālis magistral

Word History and Origins

Origin of mistral¹

C17: via French from Provençal, from Latin magistrālis magistral , as in magistrālis ventus master wind

Example Sentences

“It’s time to acknowledge that mistral hygiene products are not luxury items but essential necessities for the health and liberty of individuals,” Mote said.

From Seattle Times

The cavern opens to the north, where a cold and powerful wind known as the mistral breathes dust under the rock shelter.

From New York Times

That is a sign of which way the mistral is blowing.

From New York Times

Or the mistral will blow from somewhere between north-west and east and all hell will break loose late on as the bunch splinters in the wind.

From The Guardian

Our greatest value of the week is a rosé from the Luberon region of France’s Rhone Valley, named for the mistral wind that howls in the area during the winter and spring.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• cyclone
• hurricane
• monsoon
• squall
• tornado
• wind
• windstorm