khamsin
[ kam-seen, kam-sin ]
noun
a hot southerly wind, varying from southeast to southwest, that blows regularly in Egypt and over the Red Sea for about 50 days, commencing about the middle of March.
Origin of khamsin
1First recorded in 1675–85, khamsin is from the Arabic word khamsīn literally, fifty
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British Dictionary definitions for khamsin
khamsin
kamseen or kamsin
/ (ˈkæmsɪn, kæmˈsiːn) /
noun
a hot southerly wind blowing from about March to May, esp in Egypt
Origin of khamsin
1C17: from Arabic, literally: fifty
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
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