monsoon

[ mon-soon ]

noun

1. the seasonal wind of the Indian Ocean and southern Asia, blowing from the southwest in summer and from the northeast in winter.
2. (in India and nearby lands) the season during which the southwest monsoon blows, commonly marked by heavy rains; rainy season.
3. any wind that changes directions with the seasons.
4. any persistent wind established between water and adjoining land.

monsoon

/ mɒnˈsuːn /

noun

1. a seasonal wind of S Asia that blows from the southwest in summer, bringing heavy rains, and from the northeast in winter
2. the rainy season when the SW monsoon blows, from about April to October
3. any wind that changes direction with the seasons

monsoon

/ mŏn-so̅o̅n′ /

1. A system of winds that influences the climate of a large area and that reverses direction with the seasons. Monsoons are caused primarily by the much greater annual variation in temperature over large areas of land than over large areas of adjacent ocean water. This variation causes an excess of atmospheric pressure over the continents in the winter, and a deficit in the summer. The disparity causes strong winds to blow between the ocean and the land, bringing heavy seasonal rainfall.
2. In southern Asia, a wind that is part of such a system and that blows from the southwest in the summer and usually brings heavy rains.

monsoon

1. A wind system that affects large climatic regions and reverses direction seasonally.

Notes

The Asiatic monsoon brings heavy rains to Southeast Asia in spring and summer.

Derived Forms

• monˈsoonal, adjective

Other Words From

• mon·soonal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of monsoon¹

First recorded in 1575–85; from obsolete Dutch monssoen, from Portuguese monção, earlier moução, from Arabic mawsim “season,” noun derivative of wasama “to mark”; mazuma ( def ), Sivan ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of monsoon¹

C16: from obsolete Dutch monssoen, from Portuguese monção, from Arabic mawsim season

Example Sentences

Yet they moved right at the start of the monsoon season, with high humidity and 100 degree temperatures.

From Salon

Water is the eternal conundrum in this state, especially as climate change has diminished the summer monsoons and the Rio Grande and its tributaries slowly dry up.

From Los Angeles Times

A powerful monsoon started just south of Cedar City, Utah, rain so fierce that cars left their emergency lights on as they inched forward.

From Los Angeles Times

Each of the games so far has brought different, unique challenges – including the Montenegrin monsoon that so clearly affected things in Niksic.

From BBC

Researchers are still working to understand why this was the case, but likely reasons include a shift to the West African monsoon and an abundance of Saharan dust.

From BBC

Related Words

• deluge
• drizzle
• flood
• hail
• mist
• precipitation
• rainfall
• rainstorm
• shower
• showers
• sleet
• stream
• torrent