Word of the day - November 15,2007

The Word of the Day for November 15, 2007 is:

williwaw • \WILL-ih-waw\ • noun

1 a : a sudden violent gust of cold land air common along mountainous coasts of high latitudes

b : a sudden violent wind

2 : a violent commotion

Example Sentence:

The sailors had all heard stories of ships capsized by the williwaws that plagued the strait.

Did you know?

In 1900, Captain Joshua Slocum described williwaws as "compressed gales of wind . . . that Boreas handed down over the hills in chunks." To unsuspecting sailors or pilots, such winds might seem to come out of nowhere -- just like word "williwaw" did some 150 years ago. All anyone knows about the origin of the word is that it was first used by writers in the mid-1800s to name fierce winds in the Strait of Magellan at the southern tip of South America. The writers were British, and indications are that they may have learned the word from British sailors and seal hunters. Where they got the word, we cannot say.

*Indicates the sense illustrated by the example sentence.