zephyr
[zef-er]
- a gentle, mild breeze.
- (initial capital letter) Literary. the west wind.
- any of various things of fine, light quality, as fabric, yarn, etc.
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Origin of zephyr
before 1000 for def 2; Middle English < Latin zephyrus < Greek zéphyros the west wind; replacing Middle English zeferus, zephirus, Old English zefferus < Latin as above
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com1. See wind1.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
gustairgalebreezecycloneblastsighsmellwhiffcurrentbreathwindblowwhiskflutterflurrydrafttyphoonpufftempestExamples from the Web for zephyr
Contemporary Examples
Scholar-activists Larry Lessig and Zephyr Teachout have recently been working to revive it.
Meanwhile, in a closely watched contest in New York, Andrew Cuomo easily defeated liberal law professor Zephyr Teachout.
Zephyr Teachout clocked the governor Tuesday in big, progressive stretches of New York, taking 35 percent of the primary vote.
Zephyr Teachout lives in a fifth-floor walkup in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.
And Zephyr Teachout is going to be a big part of it, as well.
Historical Examples
Here no zephyr of the sea Wipes the tears from skies that fill.
Enamels and Cameos and other PoemsThophile Gautier
Then the wind blew in a changed spirit, and died away to a zephyr.
A Pair of Blue EyesThomas Hardy
From the zephyr to the tempest, the whole scale is equally at his command.
Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great - Volume 14Elbert Hubbard
The rustle of His wing is in every zephyr; its might is in every tempest.
Gov. Bob. Taylor's TalesRobert L. Taylor
This last drawing reduces the roll to about the thickness of zephyr yarn.
TextilesWilliam H. Dooley
zephyr
- a soft or gentle breeze
- any of several delicate soft yarns, fabrics, or garments, usually of wool
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Word Origin
C16: from Latin zephyrus, from Greek zephuros the west wind; probably related to Greek zophos darkness, west
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for zephyr
n.
mid-14c., from Old English Zefferus, from Latin Zephyrus, from Greek Zephyros "the west wind" (sometimes personified as a god), probably related to zophos "the west, the dark region, darkness, gloom." Sense of "mild breeze" is c.1600.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Zephyr
[(zef-uhr)]
The Greek and Roman god of the west wind, considered the most pleasant of the winds.
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The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.