harmattan
[ hahr-muh-tan ]
/ ˌhɑr məˈtæn /
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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
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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
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