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 design of the home features open walls that allow for natural ventilation, while raised flooring keeps the interior dry during heavy monsoon rains. —New Atlas, 20 Oct. 2025

The clip, shared by user @itsriiriii on October 14, has amassed more than 2 million views, drawing widespread attention for its startling display of how quickly Arizona’s monsoon storms can intensify. —Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025

Flash flood danger is real here—check weather conditions obsessively and never enter during monsoon season (from July to September). —Jacqueline Kehoe, AFAR Media, 15 Oct. 2025

Supercells aren't common in central Arizona, where strong wind shear rarely develops, especially during the summer monsoon. —Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 14 Oct. 2025

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