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williwaw

[wil-ee-waw]
See more synonyms for williwaw on Thesaurus.com
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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Origin of williwaw

First recorded in 1835–45; origin uncertain
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for williwaw

Historical Examples

  • On the afternoon of the tenth day on the island the sky clouded up and Mr. Gibney predicted a williwaw.

    Captain Scraggs

    Peter B. Kyne

  • A williwaw began in the hills ahead and swept out and set the ship to reeling crazily in its erratic currents.

British Dictionary definitions for williwaw

williwaw

noun US and Canadian
  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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Word Origin

C19: of unknown origin
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