monsoon

noun

mon·​soon män-ˈsün 

ˈmän-ˌsün

1

: a periodic wind especially in the Indian Ocean and southern Asia

2

: the season of the southwest monsoon in India and adjacent areas that is characterized by very heavy rainfall

3

: rainfall that is associated with the monsoon

monsoonal

män-ˈsü-nᵊl 

ˈmän-ˌsü-

adjective

Examples of monsoon in a Sentence

floods caused by summer monsoons

Recent Examples on the Web

People have been informally betting on Mother Nature for more than 100 years, Pietruska said, dating to the 1880s when people in India would gamble on whether a rain gauge would overflow during a monsoon. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Agriculture’s relative share in non-performing assets (NPAs) has been on a steady incline for at least a decade—often exacerbated when poor monsoons affect crop yields. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Aug. 2026

The period, which usually falls between July and August, is dedicated to the worship of Hindu god Lord Shiva and is marked by fasting, prayers and colorful monsoon festivals across India. — ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026

That will open the door for a surge of monsoon moisture into Colorado. — Callie Zanandrie, CBS News, 8 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

obsolete Dutch monssoen, from Portuguese monção, from Arabic mawsim time, season

First Known Use

1584, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for monsoon

• attune
• baboon
• balloon
• bassoon
• buffoon
• cartoon
• cocoon
• festoon
• gaboon
• harpoon
• immune
• impugn

Kids Definition

monsoon

noun

mon·​soon män-ˈsün 

1

: a periodic wind in the Indian Ocean and southern Asia

2

: the rainy season that accompanies the southwest monsoon

3

: rainfall that is associated with the monsoon season