khamsin

noun

kham·​sin kam-ˈsēn How to pronounce khamsin (audio)
: a hot southerly Egyptian wind

Examples of khamsin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Dust storms and dust-bearing winds go by many names, including the haboob in Sudan to the North African khamsin and the Arabian simoom. Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 26 Feb. 2015

Word History

Etymology

Arabic rīḥ al-khamsīn the wind of the fifty (days between Easter and Pentecost)

First Known Use

1685, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of khamsin was in 1685

Dictionary Entries Near khamsin

Cite this Entry

“Khamsin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/khamsin. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on khamsin

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!