zephyr
[ zef-er ]
/ ˈzɛf ər /
noun
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
Words nearby zephyr
zenobia, zeolite, zeph., zephaniah, zephiran, zephyr, zephyr cloth, zephyr worsted, zephyr yarn, zephyranthes, zephyrean
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for zephyr
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
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Cultural definitions for zephyr
Zephyr
[ (zef-uhr) ]
The Greek and Roman god of the west wind, considered the most pleasant of the winds.
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.