sirocco

American  

[suh-rok-oh] / səˈrɒk oʊ /

Also scirocco

noun

plural

siroccos

1. a hot, dry, dustladen wind blowing from northern Africa and affecting parts of southern Europe.

2. a warm, sultry south or southeast wind accompanied by rain, occurring in the same regions.

3. any hot, oppressive wind, especially one in the warm sector of a cyclone.

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sirocco British  

/ sɪˈrɒkəʊ /

noun

1. a hot oppressive and often dusty wind usually occurring in spring, beginning in N Africa and reaching S Europe

2. any hot southerly wind, esp one moving to a low pressure centre

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Etymology

Origin of sirocco

First recorded in 1610–20; from Italian, variant of scirocco, from Arabic sharq “east”

Explanation

A sirocco is a type of storm that occurs near the Mediterranean Sea. The winds of a sirocco sometimes reach the speed of a hurricane. You've probably heard of tornadoes, blizzards, hurricanes, and maybe even tsunamis — but siroccos are probably less familiar. These winds originate in the Sahara and blow across the Mediterranean into southern Europe. They often carry dust and rain and can make temperatures rise quickly. The dreaded siroccos are most common in spring and fall and can last for hours or even days. The Arabic root of sirocco is sharqi, "east wind."

Example Sentences

Nearby stands Sirocco Tower, the tallest drop-tower ride in the world.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

The former Sirocco nightclub’s LGBTQ-owned location in front of Hotel Zoso traditionally hasn’t warmed up for drag and dancing until late nights.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2025

Flynn asked him to help take his yacht, Sirocco, back to California, but the departure date kept being put off, so Mr. Gesner went home.

From New York Times • Jun. 23, 2022

Sailors from the patrol craft USS Sirocco later arrived, rescuing the men.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 15, 2021

And Lionbruno put on his boots in a hurry, seized his purse, fixed his cloak carefully, and left the house with Sirocco.

From Italian Popular Tales by Crane, Thomas Frederick

Related Words

• sandstorm