A hot, dry, suffocating sand-laden wind that blows across the Arabian and North African deserts. This wind can reach extremely high temperatures and create dangerous conditions for travelers.
From Arabic samūm, derived from the root s-m-m meaning 'to poison,' referring to the wind's harmful, suffocating effects. The word entered English directly through contact with Arabic-speaking regions in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Arabic name captures the wind's reputation for being potentially deadly to desert travelers.
The name 'simoom' literally means 'poisonous' in Arabic because this wind was believed to be toxic to breathe! Desert travelers would cover their faces and seek shelter when they felt this scorching wind approaching, as it could cause heat stroke and dehydration within minutes.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.