prevailing westerly
1
6.1
- noun
- Specialized
:
viento predominante del oeste
- This pattern would be expected in this belt of prevailing westerly winds because of the distance from any ocean to the west and because of significant mountain barriers to the south, which effectively preclude access to warm, moist air masses from tropical oceans.
- prevailing westerly winds
Examples
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The prevailing westerly winds bring mild temperatures to the coastal areas during summer.
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Sailors often rely on the prevailing westerly winds to navigate across the ocean effectively.
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The prevailing westerly winds help shape the climate, influencing rainfall patterns in temperate regions.
Synonyms
1
3.6
A wind that blows from the west
1
1.6
A wind that blows from the west to the east
1
9.9
A wind that blows from the west toward the east
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a wind that blows predominantly from the west' is directly derivable from combining 'prevailing' (most widespread) with 'westerly' (coming from the west). This straightforward adjectival composition is common in weather vocabulary and across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents should be able to understand the MWE.
Etymology
Prevailing westerly comes from sailors and weather watchers who noticed a wind that usually blew from the west. The word westerly means a wind 'from the west' and prevailing means 'most common', so the phrase names the wind that most often blows from the west and shapes the local weather.