wind-borne

American

[wind-bawrn, -bohrn] / ˈwɪndˌbɔrn, -ˌboʊrn /

adjective

carried by the wind, as pollen or seed.

wind-borne British

adjective

(esp of plant seeds or pollen) transported by wind

"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

Etymology

Origin of wind-borne

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In 2012 a wind-borne fungus from Asia triggered ash dieback in the UK, threatening up to 80% of mature ash trees.

From BBC • Oct. 19, 2025

The idea was to deny wind-borne embers fuel that can burn down dwellings — a problem fresh on lawmakers’ minds after Oregon’s devastating 2020 fire season destroyed more than 2,000 homes.

From Salon • Aug. 8, 2025

As Santa Ana wind conditions continue to stoke fears of resurgent wildfires across Los Angeles County, health officials are warning of yet another wind-borne threat: ash and dust from active fire zones and burn scars.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 14, 2025

The instrument exhales a low, forlorn hoot — an artist’s recreation of the sound the wind-borne sand makes in a special stretch of desert, whether anyone’s listening or not.

From New York Times • Oct. 27, 2022

His nose, moist with curiosity, sniffed the wind-borne pattern of a hundred miles.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023