Monsoon
noun /mɒnˈsuːn/ — A seasonal wind that brings heavy rain — the most anticipated weather event in the world.
Definition
A seasonal prevailing wind in the region of South and Southeast Asia, blowing from the southwest between May and September and bringing heavy rainfall; also, the rainy season itself.
Beyond the definition
The monsoon is more than weather — it is a cultural event. After months of heat and dry, the rain arrives as something close to mercy. In much of the world, the monsoon determines whether a year is good or not, whether rivers flow or rivers dry.
Origin & history
From Arabic mawsim — season (from wasama: to mark, from wasam: a mark). The seasonal wind — weather named for its timing, not its character. The word for climate as calendar.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The monsoon arrived three weeks early that year — farmers had been watching the sky for a month.
She had lived through monsoon seasons in three countries; each one had a different smell, a different sound.
The monsoon made everything smell of earth — petrichor at its most complete, days at a time.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Monsoon” when the meaning fits your context: A seasonal prevailing wind in the region of South and Southeast Asia, blowing from the southwest between May and September and bringing heavy rainfall; also, the rainy season itself.
Synonyms
rainy season, wet season, seasonal rains
Antonyms
dry season, drought
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Aftermath of a heavy rain
A landscape after rain, showing a stream flowing over stones, damp soil, and sunlight breaking through clouds.
The heavy rain and the saturated environment indicate the aftermath of a rainy season. This illustrates the effect of a monsoon in creating a wet, thriving ecosystem.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Monsoon" mean?
Monsoon is noun meaning: A seasonal wind that brings heavy rain — the most anticipated weather event in the world.. A seasonal prevailing wind in the region of South and Southeast Asia, blowing from the southwest between May and September and bringing heavy rainfall; also, the rainy season itself.
Where does the word "Monsoon" come from?
From Arabic mawsim — season (from wasama: to mark, from wasam: a mark). The seasonal wind — weather named for its timing, not its character. The word for climate as calendar.