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

The summer season is monsoon time. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 May 2026

Other scientists warned that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), the great ocean conveyor belt, is more likely to collapse than expected, which will freeze European capitals and disrupt monsoons in West Africa and India. —Natalie Sum Yue Chung, Fortune, 3 May 2026

Yamunanagar has a subtropical continental monsoon climate. —Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 May 2026

Summers that pummeled the plants with monsoon-like rains? —Libby Monteith Minor, Southern Living, 1 May 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