trade wind

[ wind ]
/ wɪnd /

noun

Also trade winds. Also called trades. any of the nearly constant easterly winds that dominate most of the tropics and subtropics throughout the world, blowing mainly from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere, and from the southeast in the Southern Hemisphere.
any wind that blows in one regular course, or continually in the same direction.

Origin of trade wind

First recorded in 1625–35

British Dictionary definitions for trade winds

trade wind
/ (wɪnd) /

noun

a wind blowing obliquely towards the equator either from the northeast in the N hemisphere or the southeast in the S hemisphere, approximately between latitudes 30° N and S, forming part of the planetary wind system

Word Origin for trade wind

C17: from to blow trade to blow steadily in one direction, from trade in the obsolete sense: a track

Scientific definitions for trade winds

trade winds
[ trād ]

Winds that blow steadily from east to west and toward the equator over most of the Torrid Zone. The trade winds are caused by hot air rising at the equator, with cool air moving in to take its place from the north and from the south. The winds are deflected westward because of the Earth's west-to-east rotation. Compare antitrades.