harmattan

Where does the word "harmattan" come from? It comes from Akan haramata, and was adopted directly into English (1670s).

Harmattan’s story begins in Akan: haramata meant “the dry Saharan wind.” An Akan (Twi/Fante) name for the seasonal dry, dusty trade wind. It reached English by 1670s as harmattan. Recorded by English traders and travelers along the Guinea coast. Today, harmattan means a dry, dusty trade wind that blows from the Sahara across West Africa, typically from November to March.

1. Stage 1 · Akan · 1600s haramata "the dry Saharan wind", an Akan (Twi/Fante) name for the seasonal dry, dusty trade wind.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1670s harmattan "a dry, dusty seasonal wind blowing from the Sahara over West Africa", recorded by English traders and travelers along the Guinea coast.