Etesian Wind

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

A Mediterranean wind which rises annually (Gr. etos, a year) about the dog-days, and blows forty days together in the same direction. It is gentle and mild.

Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)

Sources & notes

Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “Etesian Wind” mean?

A Mediterranean wind which rises annually (Gr. etos, a year) about the dog-days, and blows forty days together in the same direction. It is gentle and mild.

Is “Etesian Wind” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.