A hot, southerly desert wind that blows across North Africa and the Mediterranean.
From Arabic 'qiblī,' meaning 'southern.' The word entered English through Italian and French contact with North African and Mediterranean regions where this wind is common.
The ghibli wind is so hot and intense that it can kill crops and cause respiratory problems—it's also called the 'simoom,' and it's so distinctive that North African cultures have stories and folklore about it.
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