Breeze
BREEZ
/briːz/
A gentle, refreshing wind.
Implies pleasant, light air movement that cools and comforts without causing disruption.
The story behind the word. Entered English via Old Spanish brisa, which denoted a cold, crisp wind in the West Indies. Over time in English, the meaning softened into any pleasant, gentle current of wind.
Word relationships
- draft: A draft is an unwanted current of cool air indoors, whereas a breeze is usually pleasant and outdoors.
- zephyr: Zephyr is a poetic, literary word for a soft, gentle western breeze.
- gale: A gale is a strong, destructive wind, whereas a breeze is gentle.
Commonly confused with
- gust: A gust is a sudden brief burst of strong wind, while a breeze is a gentle continuous flow.
Word family
- breezy (adjective): pleasantly windy or relaxed in manner
- breezily (adverb): in a casual, relaxed manner
Collocations
- sea breeze
- gentle breeze
- cool breeze
- breeze blowing
Idioms & expressions
- shoot the breeze (chat casually)
- a breeze (something very easy)
Example sentences
- "A cool sea breeze swept across the hot sand, bringing instant relief to sunbathers." Seaside weather
- "Completing the introductory vocabulary exercise turned out to be an absolute breeze." Idiomatic usage
Memory hook
BREEZE is EASY and FREEZING-cool on a hot beach. Gentle wind that brings cool relief.
When not to use
Do not use to describe violent windstorms, gales, or tornadoes.
Fun facts
- Sea breezes occur during the day because land heats up faster than water, causing hot air over land to rise and cool air over the ocean to rush in.
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