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

See Examples For:

pampero pamperos

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

From Time Magazine Archive

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)

The least spark of fire then suffices to create a mighty blaze, especially if accompanied by the pampero wind, which blows with irresistible force in its sweep over hundreds of miles of level ground.

From Through Five Republics on Horseback, Being an Account of Many Wanderings in South America by Ray, G. Whitfield

We had been a fortnight at sea, cruising; and I have always thoughtPage 140 that the captain, who was interested in meteorology and knew the region, kept us out till we should catch a pampero.

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

When to the east of Rio de la Plata she was caught in one of those formidable gales, there called pampero, but had the good fortune to weather it without sustaining any damage.

From Celebrated Travels and Travellers Part III. The Great Explorers of the Nineteenth Century by D'Anvers, N.

I had had some experience of pamperos, and was not fond of them.

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)

They are known as pamperos; because, I suppose, they come from the pampas.

From Maori and Settler A Story of The New Zealand War by Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)

Then, after checks on sandbanks and hindrances from pamperos, Buenos Ayres was touched at, then Monte Video, with its busy port.

From Rob Harlow's Adventures A Story of the Grand Chaco by Burton, W.

The anchorage of Montevideo was safe, although several times they were visited by "pamperos," a scourge of the South-West, accompanied by violent tempests.

From Celebrated Travels and Travellers Part 2. The Great Navigators of the Eighteenth Century by Benett, Léon

The fierce pamperos render the navigation of this estuary oftentimes precarious.

From Equatorial America Descriptive of a Visit to St. Thomas, Martinique, Barbadoes, and the Principal Capitals of South America by Ballou, Maturin Murray