harmattan

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points
14
Words With Friends
15
Letters
9
Pronunciation
/ˌhɑːməˈtæn/(UK)
See all 5 pronunciations
/ˌhɑːməˈtæn/(UK) · /ˌhɑːˈmætən/(UK) · /ˌhɑɹməˈtæn/ · /ˌhɑɹməˈtɑn/ · /ˌhɑɹˈmætən/

Definition of harmattan

2 senses · 1 part of speech · etymology included

noun

  1. A dry and dusty wind which blows from the Sahara over the Atlantic coast of West Africa in December, January and February, being a hot wind in some areas and a cold wind in others.
    “Storm-clouds stretched their arms across the sky; from the east, to all appearances, might come a fierce harmattan, or from the south might come the fierce hurricane.”
    “That was many years ago, twenty years or more, and during this time Okonkwo's fame had grown like a bush-fire in the harmattan.”
See all 2 definitions

noun

  1. A dry and dusty wind which blows from the Sahara over the Atlantic coast of West Africa in December, January and February, being a hot wind in some areas and a cold wind in others.
    “Storm-clouds stretched their arms across the sky; from the east, to all appearances, might come a fierce harmattan, or from the south might come the fierce hurricane.”
    “That was many years ago, twenty years or more, and during this time Okonkwo's fame had grown like a bush-fire in the harmattan.”
  2. A season which spans the period in which the harmattan wind blows.

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

From Twi Akan haramata or a related word (whence also Spanish harmatán). The ultimate origin is supposed by some to be an Arabic word, but which one is uncertain; حَرَام (ḥarām, “accursed thing”) has been suggested.

Hooks

1 extension · 1 back

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