harmattan

har·mat·tan  (härm-tn, här-mtn)

n.

A dry dusty wind that blows along the northwest coast of Africa.

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[Akan (Twi) haramata, possibly from Arabic arm, evil thing, from arama, to prohibit; see rm in Semitic roots.]

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harmattan [hɑːˈmæt^ən]

n

(Earth Sciences / Physical Geography) a dry dusty wind from the Sahara blowing towards the W African coast, esp from November to March

[from Twi haramata, perhaps from Arabic harām forbidden thing; see harem]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

harmattan - a dusty wind from the Sahara that blows toward the western coast of Africa during the winter air current, current of air, wind - air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure; "trees bent under the fierce winds"; "when there is no wind, row"; "the radioactivity was being swept upwards by the air current and out into the atmosphere"