jet stream

noun

: a long narrow meandering current of high-speed winds near the tropopause blowing from a generally westerly direction and often exceeding a speed of 250 miles (402 kilometers) per hour

Examples of jet stream in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web That included a trough, or dip, in the jet stream that eventually dragged Milton to the northeast, across the Florida Peninsula and into the Atlantic. Andrew Freedman, Axios, 11 Oct. 2024 By contrast, the planet Neptune has dark spots that can drift widely in latitude without strong jet streams holding them in place. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 10 Oct. 2024 The steering currents, or the winds that are guiding Milton, are highly influenced by changes in the jet stream, Davis said. Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 9 Oct. 2024 This weather phenomenon is linked to a northerly shift in the polar jet stream, which can lead to Texas winters being warmer than average. Anthony Franze, San Antonio Express-News, 2 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for jet stream 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jet stream.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jet stream was in 1947

Dictionary Entries Near jet stream

Cite this Entry

“Jet stream.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jet%20stream. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

jet stream

noun
: a long narrow wandering current of high-speed winds blowing from a generally westerly direction several miles above the earth's surface

More from Merriam-Webster on jet stream

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