trade wind

noun

: a wind blowing almost constantly in one direction
especially : a wind blowing almost continually toward the equator from the northeast in the belt between the northern horse latitudes and the doldrums and from the southeast in the belt between the southern horse latitudes and the doldrums
usually used in plural

Examples of trade wind in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Warmer waters and temperatures One of the ingredients of El Niño is triggered when the trade winds in the Pacific Ocean — winds that reliably blow from east to west — weaken. Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026 Normally, trade winds push warm surface water west across the Pacific, piling it up near Asia and Australia while cooler water rises along South America. Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 15 June 2026 Since 2020, several West African boats have been found in the Caribbean and Latin America with only dead bodies on board after drifting across the Atlantic, pushed by trade winds and currents. ABC News, 12 June 2026 That pocket of warm water then drifts eastward, weakening tropical trade winds, which has a domino-like effect on weather patterns throughout the world. Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for trade wind

Word History

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of trade wind was in 1615

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Cite this Entry

“Trade wind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trade%20wind. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

trade wind

noun
: a wind blowing almost constantly toward the equator from an easterly direction

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