French word

mistral

Pronunciation

IPA/mistʁal/

Meaning

  • masculine nounmistral

Example

En Provence, le mistral balaie la vallée.

In Provence, the mistral sweeps through the valley.

Illustration for mistral (mistral)

More examples

On ferme les fenêtres quand le mistral arrive.

We close the windows when the mistral arrives.

Core concept

A dry, forceful blast racing down the valleys of Provence from the northwest.

Common phrases

  • du mistral

    of the mistral

  • rafales de mistral

    mistral gusts

Similar words

vent: The flow of air in a consistent direction.
bise: A cold, dry northerly wind that may make the weather feel colder.
rafale: A sudden, strong gust lasting only a short time.
brise: A mild, weak wind, especially near the coast.

Definition in French

Vent violent et sec soufflant du nord-ouest, souvent associé aux vallées et au littoral provençaux.

Word origin

French mistral comes through Occitan mistrau from Latin magistralis, meaning 'of a master'.

Usage tips

  • The noun is masculine, so standard forms include le mistral and un mistral.

Word lists with this word