trade wind

noun

: a wind blowing almost constantly in one direction
especially : a wind blowing almost continually toward the equator from the northeast in the belt between the northern horse latitudes and the doldrums and from the southeast in the belt between the southern horse latitudes and the doldrums
—usually plural

Examples of trade wind in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The heat wave was caused by an exceptionally strong El Niño event, part of a climate pattern that begins in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, around the Galápagos Islands, as the trade winds shift. — Julia Cole, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026 Stronger trade winds help to move warm surface water away from the South American coast, which stimulates upwelling—that is, the movement of cold, dense, and nutrient-rich deep ocean water toward the surface. — John P. Rafferty, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Aug. 2026 The driving forces behind El Niño and La Niña are the trade winds. — Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026 El Niño is a climate pattern characterized by warmer ocean waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific, coupled with changing atmospheric conditions, in which the typical east-to-west trade winds weaken or even reverse. — Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for trade wind

Word History

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of trade wind was in 1615

Rhymes for trade wind

See All Rhymes for trade wind

Browse Nearby Words

trade waste
trade wind
trading area
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Trade wind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trade%20wind. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

trade wind

noun
: a wind blowing almost constantly toward the equator from an easterly direction

More from Merriam-Webster on trade wind

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about trade wind

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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