williwaw

American  

[wil-ee-waw] / ˈwɪl iˌwɔ /

noun

1. a violent squall that blows in near-polar latitudes, as in the Strait of Magellan, Alaska, and the Aleutian Islands.

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williwaw British  

/ ˈwɪlɪˌwɔː /

noun

1. a sudden strong gust of cold wind blowing offshore from a mountainous coast, as in the Strait of Magellan

2. a state of great turmoil

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Etymology

Origin of williwaw

First recorded in 1835–45; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

The williwaws, which are what they call the hard squalls off the high hills down there, were having a great time with out battle-ship topsides.

From Project Gutenberg