pampero

American  

[pahm-pair-oh, pam-, pahm-pe-raw] / pɑmˈpɛər oʊ, pæm-, pɑmˈpɛ rɔ /

noun

pamperos plural

1. a cold and dry southwesterly wind that sweeps down over the pampas of Argentina from the Andes.

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pampero British  

/ pamˈpero, pæmˈpɛərəʊ /

noun

1. a dry cold wind in South America blowing across the pampas from the south or southwest

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• pamperos
  plural

Etymology

Origin of pampero

First recorded in 1810–20; from Latin American Spanish: literally, “of the pampas”

Explanation

A pampero is a type of strong wind, often bringing thunder, lightning, and rain, that frequently blows across the grasslands of Argentina and neighboring countries in South America. The word pampero comes from pampas, the broad grassy plains that cover Uruguay and parts of Argentina, Paraguay, and southern Brazil. Bursts of cold air from Antarctica or from the nearby Andes mountain range sweep across these plains. The winds are often dry, but other times bring wet weather and thunderstorms. Pamperos are most common in the southern hemisphere's winter (roughly May through August), and they can sometimes be destructive, so if you're in the neighborhood when the season starts, make sure all your doors and windows are closed.

Example Sentences

The bullet pinked the beast between the eyes, but miraculously he bounded across the deck, roaring like a pampero.

From Time Magazine Archive

During the pampero the place had been awash. 

From The Mutiny of the Elsinore by London, Jack

After this we settled down to a two days' pampero, with a huge but regular sea.

From From Sail to Steam, Recollections of Naval Life by Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer)

This was, no doubt, the fag-end of a pampero or River Plate hurricane.

From The Cruise of the 'Alerte' The narrative of a search for treasure on the desert island of Trinidad by Knight, E. F. (Edward Frederick)

A race meeting was being held near the town of El Carmen, on a high exposed piece of ground, when, shortly before sunset, a violent pampero wind came up, laden with dense dust-clouds.

From The Naturalist in La Plata by Hudson, W. H. (William Henry)