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Glite Dictionary
Windward Passage

Windward Passage

7.3
A narrow sea channel between eastern Cuba and western Haiti that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Caribbean Sea
  • noun
translation icon : Paso de los Vientos
  • Under all plain sail, she nearly flew: we hit twenty knots on the Windward Passage.

Examples

  • The yacht sailed smoothly through the Windward Passage as it headed towards the Caribbean.

  • Navigating the Windward Passage was challenging due to the strong currents and winds in the area.

  • Many ships travel through the Windward Passage to access the ports of Cuba and Haiti.

Surface Forms

Windward Passage singular
Windward Passages plural

Morphology

windward + passage

The components 'windward' (the side the wind blows from) and 'passage' (a route or strait) give a clear compositional clue: a learner who knows both words can infer this refers to a sea channel related to wind direction. However, as a specific toponym naming the particular strait between Cuba and Haiti the exact geographic referent is not predictable from the parts alone, so the phrase is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Windward Passage comes from the words windward (the side that faces the wind) and passage (a way through the sea). Sailors used 'windward' for the route that meets the strong Atlantic winds, so the narrow channel between eastern Cuba and western Haiti became known as the Windward Passage.