harmattan

[ hahr-muh-tan ]
/ ˌhɑr məˈtæn /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR harmattan ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

(on the west coast of Africa) a dry, parching land breeze, charged with dust.

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Origin of harmattan

1665–75; said to be <Twi haramata

Words nearby harmattan

Harlingen, harlot, harlotry, Harlow, harm, harmattan, harmful, harmless, harmolodics, Harmonia, harmonic
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to harmattan

sandstorm, devil, black blizzard, dust devil, duster, khamsin, samiel, shaitan, simoom, sirocco

Example sentences from the Web for harmattan

British Dictionary definitions for harmattan

harmattan
/ (hɑːˈmætən) /

noun

a dry dusty wind from the Sahara blowing towards the W African coast, esp from November to March

Word Origin for harmattan

C17: from Twi haramata, perhaps from Arabic harām forbidden thing; see harem
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012