windfall

American  

[wind-fawl] / ˈwɪndˌfɔl /

noun

1. an unexpected gain, piece of good fortune, or the like.

   I've recently come into a windfall and am considering early retirement.

2. an unexpected positive result or by-product.

   The industry’s profits are a windfall of war.

3. something blown down by the wind, such as fruit or a tree.

   We'll have plenty of firewood for winter, as there are a lot of pine windfalls around.

   She has a dozen apple trees, and every day she picks up the windfalls for eating and baking.

4. the fall of something blown down by the wind.

   The orchard must be sheltered from prevailing winds, as a windfall of peaches too early in the season can be disastrous.

5. a quantity or mass of trees blown down by the wind, or an area containing many such trees.

   The road was covered by extensive windfall which had to be cut and removed.

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adjective

1. (of profit or other gain) coming unexpectedly and in a large amount.

   One new business relationship can produce tens of thousands of dollars in windfall profits.

2. blown down by the wind.

   In addition to grain, his free-range chickens eat bugs and windfall fruit.

windfall British  

/ ˈwɪndˌfɔːl /

noun

1. a piece of unexpected good fortune, esp financial gain

2. something blown down by the wind, esp a piece of fruit

3. a plot of land covered with trees blown down by the wind

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windfall Cultural  

1. An unexpected profit from a business or other source. The term connotes gaining huge profits without working for them — for example, when oil companies profit from a temporary scarcity of oil.

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Etymology

Origin of windfall

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English; wind ¹ + fall

Example Sentences

The country is continuing to enjoy a windfall from US technology and pharma companies who pay much of their global taxes in Ireland.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

If HMH has a splashy debut, that would be a windfall for Baker Hughes and Akastor, which are currently 50-50 owners of HMH.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

That fall came amid lower power prices and high windfall taxes, Citi notes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

In September 2018, she wrote to the Moneyist to ask how she should invest her windfall of over $150,000.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 2026

It occurred to him that he took this windfall in a fashion dangerously close to matter of fact but still he said what he had said before.

From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy

Related Words

• bonanza
• bonus