simoom
World English Dictionary
simoom or simoon (sɪˈmuːm, sɪˈmuːn) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| Also called: samiel a strong suffocating sand-laden wind of the deserts of Arabia and North Africa | |
| [from Arabic samūm poisonous, from sam poison, from Aramaic sammā poison] | |
| simoon or simoon | |
| —n | |
| [from Arabic samūm poisonous, from sam poison, from Aramaic sammā poison] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
simoom
"hot, dry desert wind," 1790, from Arabic samum "a sultry wind," lit. "poisonous," from samma "he poisoned," from sam "poison."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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00:10
Simoom
is always a great word to know.
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia
simoom
extremely hot and dry local wind in Arabia and the Sahara. Its temperature often reaches 55 C (about 130 F), and the humidity of the air sometimes falls below 10 percent. It is caused by intensive ground heating under a cloudless sky. Simoom is an Arabic word that means "poison wind." It refers to the wind's tendency to cause heatstroke as it brings more heat to the human body than is removed by the evaporation of perspiration.
Learn more about simoom with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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