vendaval

noun

ven·​da·​val

ˌvendəˈval,

-väl

plural -s

1

: a gusty southwest wind occurring chiefly in winter about the strait of Gibraltar

2

: an autumnal thundersquall on the coast of Mexico

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from French vent d' aval westerly wind, literally, downstream wind, from vent wind (from Latin ventus) + d' of (contraction of de, from Latin) + aval downstream, downward

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