English Reference

Word

monsoon

Phoneticsmon·soon

US/mɑnˈsun/

UK/mənsˈuːn/

Definition

n. a season of very heavy rain and strong winds, especially in South Asia. It can also mean the heavy rain itself.

n. a seasonal prevailing wind in the region of South and Southeast Asia, blowing from the southwest between May and September and bringing rain, or from the northeast between October and April.

Examples

“The monsoon brings much-needed rain to the farmers.”

“During the monsoon, many streets in the city become flooded due to the intense daily downpours.”

“The arrival of the summer monsoon is critical for the subcontinent's agriculture, yet its increasing unpredictability poses a significant threat to food security and regional infrastructure.”

Examples

simple

“The monsoon brings much-needed rain to the farmers.”

contextual

“During the monsoon, many streets in the city become flooded due to the intense daily downpours.”

complex

“The arrival of the summer monsoon is critical for the subcontinent's agriculture, yet its increasing unpredictability poses a significant threat to food security and regional infrastructure.”

Usage

Often used with the definite article ('the monsoon') when referring to the specific annual season.

Real-World Examples

“The monsoon has settled over the reserve, turning the laterite roads to mud and the air thick with the smell of damp earth and forest.”
Al Jazeera · 15 Aug 2026
“Uttarakhand has been battered by heavy monsoon rains in recent days.”
Al Jazeera · 14 Aug 2026

Etymology

From Portuguese monção and Dutch moesson, from Arabic مَوْسِم (mawsim, “season”), from وَسَمَ (wasama, “to mark, to brand”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference