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

Several cheetahs went into septic shock and died during a monsoon. —Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 15 Apr. 2026

Stearns expects an expansion of drought conditions in the West, adding that a possible above-average monsoon season in the Southwest could complicate the fire outlook. —CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026

Outfitters there are hoping Colorado’s monsoon season, typically mid-July through August, delivers this year. —John Meyer, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 2026

If possible, avoid planning your trip for July, as the monsoon season is known to bring flash floods to the desert. —Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 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