Main Entry: mon·soon

Pronunciation: \män-ˈsün, ˈmän-ˌ\

Function: noun

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

Date: 1584

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

— mon·soon·al \-ˈsü-n^əl, -ˌsü-\ adjective