English
khamsin
Khamsin comes from Egyptian Arabic خَمْسِين ‘fifty’.
- Egyptian Arabicmodernخَمْسِينḵamsīn‘fifty’
- Englishearliest quotation 1957khamsin
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Egyptian Arabicmodernخَمْسِينḵamsīn‘fifty’
- Englishearliest quotation 1957khamsin
Earliest quotation: 1957, Lawrence Durrell, Justine: “That second spring the khamseen was worse than I…”
Every English word from Egyptian Arabic خَمْسِين
Today it means
noun A hot, dry wind, common in Egypt, Sudan and the Levant towards the end of March and April, which blows (for about 50 days each year) from the desert, bringing with it hot weather and sand / sandstorms.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Egyptian Arabic خَمْسِين / khamsin