Harmattan

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Harmattan \Har*mat"tan\ (h[aum]r*m[a^]t"tan), n. [F. harmattan,
     prob. of Arabic origin.]
     A dry, hot wind, prevailing on the Atlantic coast of Africa,
     in December, January, and February, blowing from the interior
     or Sahara. It is usually accompanied by a haze which obscures
     the sun.


     [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Sirocco \Si*roc"co\ (s[i^]*r[o^]k"k[-o]), n.; pl. {Siroccos}
     (s[i^]*r[o^]k"k[=o]z). [It. sirocco, scirocco, Ar. shorug,
     fr. sharq the rising of the sun, the east, fr, sharaca to
     rise as the sun. Cf. {Saracen}.]
     1. An oppressive, relaxing wind from the Libyan deserts,
        chiefly experienced in Italy, Malta, and Sicily.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. In general, any hot dry wind of cyclonic origin, blowing
        from arid or heated regions, including the desert wind of
        Southern California, the {harmattan} of the west coasts of
        Africa, the hot winds of Kansas and Texas, the {kamsin} of
        Egypt, the {leste} of the Madeira Islands, and the
        {leveche} of Spain.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  harmattan
       n : a dusty wind from the Sahara that blows toward the western
           coast of Africa during the winter