zephyr
noun
a gentle, mild breeze.
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zephyr
American
[zef-er]
/ ˈzɛf ər /
noun
-
a gentle, mild breeze.
-
(initial capital letter) the west wind.
-
any of various things of fine, light quality, as fabric, yarn, etc.
zephyr
British
/ ˈzɛfə /
noun
-
a soft or gentle breeze
-
any of several delicate soft yarns, fabrics, or garments, usually of wool
Zephyr
Cultural
Related Words
See wind 1.
Etymology
Origin of zephyr
First recorded before 1000 zephyr for def. 2; Middle English, from Latin zephyrus, from Greek zéphyros “the west wind”; replacing Middle English zeferus, zephirus, Old English zefferus, from Latin as above
Explanation
Besides being the name of Babar's monkey friend in the much-beloved picture books about the elephant Babar, a zephyr is a gentle breeze. In Greek mythology, Zephuros was the god of the west wind, and the bringer of light and early spring breezes. Zephyr derives from his name. That first day of spring, where suddenly you don't have to wear your jacket to school for the first time all winter? Thank the zephyr for that.
Vocabulary lists containing zephyr
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100 SAT words Beginning with W,X,Y, and Z
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That uncertainty is by design, according to Zephyr Teachout, a Fordham University law professor.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026
Riding Amtrak’s California Zephyr route, it turns out, is equal parts sightseeing extravaganza and endurance test.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 27, 2025
“Now you have machine learning trained on identifying the desperation index of workers,” Zephyr Teachout, a professor of law at Fordham University, told me.
From Slate • Oct. 13, 2024
The Zephyr goes all the way to Chicago over two days, but don’t be intimidated.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2024
And then in the lightning bolt to the head kind of way, it occurs to me that Zephyr Ravens is not a harbinger of anything at all.
From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
