zephyr

[ zef-er ]

/ ˈzɛf ər /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR zephyr ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a gentle, mild breeze.

(initial capital letter) Literary. the west wind.

any of various things of fine, light quality, as fabric, yarn, etc.

Nearby words

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 FOR zephyr

1. See wind¹.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR zephyr ON THESAURUS.COM

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for zephyr

Scholar-activists Larry Lessig and Zephyr Teachout have recently been working to revive it.
Undo Citizens United? We’d Only Scratch the Surface|Jedediah Purdy|November 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Meanwhile, in a closely watched contest in New York, Andrew Cuomo easily defeated liberal law professor Zephyr Teachout.
Populists Go Down in Battle for the Soul of the Democratic Party|David Freedlander|September 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Zephyr Teachout clocked the governor Tuesday in big, progressive stretches of New York, taking 35 percent of the primary vote.
Andrew Cuomo Can't Ignore It Now: He's Weak Even at Home|David Freedlander|September 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Zephyr Teachout lives in a fifth-floor walkup in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.
Can New York Democrat Zephyr Teachout Stop Governor Andrew Cuomo?|David Freedlander|August 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST

And Zephyr Teachout is going to be a big part of it, as well.
Can New York Democrat Zephyr Teachout Stop Governor Andrew Cuomo?|David Freedlander|August 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His touch is as light as the zephyr that stirs the diaphanous drapery of his trees.
French Art|W. C. Brownell
They seem to follow the sun in its advance and retreat; and to fly on the zephyr wing after an eternal spring.
Birds, Illustrated by Color Photography, Vol. II, No 3, September 1897|Various
Bennie was already dressed, and Zephyr, throwing the stub of his cigarette through the open window, followed him to the kitchen.
Blue Goose|Frank Lewis Nason
He had not a nice ear either for compliment or detraction: he failed to appreciate the whisper of a zephyr of sarcasm.
A Nest of Linnets|Frank Frankfort Moore
We retired to rest, the soft balmy air, like a zephyr, was blowing from the south.
Thirty Years on the Frontier|Robert McReynolds

British Dictionary definitions for zephyr

zephyr

/ (ˈzɛfə) /

noun

a soft or gentle breeze

any of several delicate soft yarns, fabrics, or garments, usually of wool

Word Origin for zephyr

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 Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for zephyr

zephyr

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.

Culture definitions for zephyr

Zephyr

[ (zef-uhr) ]

The Greek and Roman god of the west wind, considered the most pleasant of the winds.

zephyr

noun

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Origin of zephyr

Examples from the Web for zephyr

zephyr

noun

Word Origin for zephyr

zephyr

Zephyr