Mistrals

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of cold, dry wind that blows from the north or northwest in southern France, often influencing weather conditions
2. A strong, often gusty wind that can affect local climates and agriculture
3. Referring to the seasonal winds that typically bring clear skies and lower humidity in certain Mediterranean regions

Etymology: "Mistrals" is simply the plural of "mistral", so it refers to more than one of the strong, cold, dry winds that blow down the Rhône valley in southern France toward the Mediterranean. The singular is the word that matters: English borrowed it from Middle French, which had taken it from Occitan, the language of southern France, where the wind has long been a local fixture. The word is a doublet of "magistral", a pairing that shows how one ancient source can produce two quite different English-facing forms. Both descend from Latin "magistralis", meaning "of a master", and the wind's name shares that root with the sense of masterful authority, a connection most English speakers would never guess from the wind itself.