windbreak
|wind/break|
🇺🇸
/ˈwɪndˌbreɪk/
🇬🇧
/ˈwɪnd.breɪk/
barrier that stops or reduces wind
Etymology
'windbreak' originates from English, specifically a compound of the words 'wind' and 'break', where 'wind' meant 'moving air' and 'break' (from Old English 'brecan') meant 'to break or interrupt'.
'windbreak' developed as a compound in Middle to Early Modern English combining 'wind' + 'break' and eventually stabilized as the modern English noun 'windbreak'.
Initially it meant 'that which breaks the wind' (i.e., something that interrupts or reduces the wind), and over time this basic sense has remained stable, referring specifically to man-made or planted barriers against wind.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a structure, fence, or natural barrier (such as a line of trees or shrubs) planted or built to reduce the force of the wind and provide shelter.
They planted a windbreak of pine trees along the north side of the field to protect the crops.
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Noun 2
a strip of trees, bushes, or fencing serving as a barrier against prevailing winds (often used in agriculture or around buildings and campsites).
The campsite was protected by a low windbreak of bushes that stopped the gusts from the sea.
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Last updated: 2025/09/23 17:17