windfall
English
Etymology
From Middle English windfal, wyndfall, equivalent to wind + fall. Cognate with Middle High German wintval, wintfal, German Windfall.
Noun
windfall (plural windfalls)
- Something that has been blown down by the wind.
- A fruit that has fallen from a tree naturally, as from wind.
- They couldn't reach the branches, so they ate the windfalls.
- (figuratively) A sudden large benefit; especially, a sudden or unexpected large amount of money, as from lottery or sweepstakes winnings or an unexpected inheritance or gift.
- 2004: Chris Wallace, Character: Profiles in Presidential Courage
- Businessmen rushed to get every last commodity aboard a departing ship, hoping for a windfall once the world realized these would be the very last sacks of flour available, thus driving up prices.
- 2004: Chris Wallace, Character: Profiles in Presidential Courage
Derived terms
- windfall profit
- windfall profits tax
- windfall shares
- windfall tax
Translations
something that has been blown down by the wind
fruit fallen off a tree naturally
sudden large benefit
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
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