windfall

- 5 dictionary results

wind⋅fall

[wind-fawl]

–noun

1.	an unexpected gain, piece of good fortune, or the like.

2.	something blown down by the wind, as fruit.

–adjective

3.	accruing in unexpectedly large amounts: windfall profits.

Origin:
1425–75; late ME; see wind ¹ , fall

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source

Link To windfall

wind·fall (wĭnd'fôl')

A sudden, unexpected piece of good fortune or personal gain.
Something, such as a ripened fruit, that has been blown down by the wind.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Cultural Dictionary

windfall

An unexpected profit from a business or other source. The term connotes gaining huge profits without working for them — for example, when oil companies profit from a temporary scarcity of oil.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Word Origin & History

windfall

1464, from wind (n.) + fall. Originally literal, in ref. to wood or fruit blown down by the wind, and thus free to all. Fig. sense of "unexpected acquisition" is recorded from 1542.

Financial Dictionary

windfall

An unexpected profit or gain. An investor holding a stock that increases greatly in price because of an unexpected takeover offer receives a windfall.

Search another word or see windfall on Thesaurus | Reference

»Podcast
»School gear

»Style guide
»Literary terms

Facebook TwitterFollow us:

About
·
Privacy Policy
·
Terms of Use
·
Careers
·
Advertise with Us
·
Link to Us
·
Contact Us

Partner Sites:

Ask Answers Evite Expedia Hotels Hotwire Life123 LiveDaily My Way