Zephyr
[ZEH-fər]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Greek, late 17th century
1.
A soft gentle breeze.
2.
A very light article of clothing.
Examples of Zephyr in a sentence
"The warm zephyr was a welcome sign that spring was here. "
"You only need to wear a zephyr over your swimsuit for a trip to the beach."
About Zephyr
In Greek, "zephuros" means "god of the west wind." As "zefferus" moved into Old English, it became a personification of the west wind, or a metaphor for pleasant weather. By the late 17th century, the word "zephyr" was a poetic way to describe a gentle breeze — possibly from the west, but not necessarily.
Did you Know?
You can use "zephyr" to describe a welcome breeze on a warm day, or it might be the article of clothing you're wearing. "Zephyr" once referred to a specific kind of fine cotton gingham, but the term evolved to describe any lightweight garment.
