Word of the Day: Favonian

Favonian

fəˈvəʊnɪən

NOUN

• Pertaining to the west wind.

• Mild, gentle

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

“The bright morning promised favonian weather for the rest of our trip.”

“The flight from Los Angeles to New York was helped along by favonian tailwinds.”

“My older, favonian dog is teaching the puppy how to be more gentle when he plays.”

WORD ORIGIN

Latin, mid-17th century

WHY THIS WORD?

“Favonian” is based on the Latin “Favōnius,” the god of the west wind. In ancient Rome, Favōnius was the bringer of spring, and by extension, all things pleasant and good. The adjective “favonian” can refer to a west wind in a literal sense, but figuratively it has a gentle and pleasing connotation. The words “favorable,” “favorite,” and “favored” all share a root in the Latin “Favōnius.”