Dictionary

headwind en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈhɛdˌwɪnd/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English *hedwind, from Old English hēafodwind, equivalent to head + wind. Cognate with Old Norse höfuðvindr.

Meanings

1. A wind that blows directly against the course of a vehicle, like an aircraft, train, or ship.
2. (qualifier:transferred sense) A strong force that impedes or reverses progress.
   • “The increasing appetite for obesity drugs will have myriad implications, boosting sectors such as biotech and creating headwinds for industries such as food and beverage,” the bank’s report said. 2024 February 29, Edward Helmore, “Oprah Winfrey announces she is stepping down from WeightWatchers”, in The Guardian, →ISSN, archived from the original on 13 Mar 2024:
   • At the same time, Faludi, who is working on a new book about the headwinds feminism is facing, suggested that the movement itself has grown sectarian and insular. 2022 June 17, Michelle Goldberg, “The Future Isn’t Female Anymore”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 21 Jul 2022:
   • "Domestic economic activity has been gaining traction in spite of formidable headwinds from external developments," the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said in its monthly bulletin. 2022 June 16, Swati Bhat, “India's economic prospects firm despite global headwinds, says RBI”, in Gareth Jones, editor, Reuters, archived from the original on 16 Jun 2022, Macro Matters:

Forms

headwind en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈhɛdˌwɪnd/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English *hedwind, from Old English hēafodwind, equivalent to head + wind. Cognate with Old Norse höfuðvindr.

Meanings

1. (transitive, uncommon) To blow directly against the course of a vehicle, like an aircraft, train, or ship.
2. (idiomatic, uncommon) To impede or reverse progress.

Forms

Antonyms

tailwind

Translations (46)

izh vastain tuuli (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · nl tegenwind (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · is andbyr (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · ga gaoth ghann (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · tr pruva rüzgârı (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · de Gegenwind (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · cmn 逆風 /逆风 (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · es viento contrario (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · es viento en contra (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · da modvind (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · ka პირქარი (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · nb motvind (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · mi pāuma (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · fr vent debout (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · ar رِيَاح مُضَادَّة (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · is mótvindur (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · mi hautūmū (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · is andviðri (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · pl wiatr przeciwny (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · fo mótvindur (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · cy gwynt blaen (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · ar رِيَاح عَكْسِيَّة (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · rsk процивни витор (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · pt vento ponteiro (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · mi haupāuma (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · it vento di prua (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · el αντίθετος άνεμος (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · te ఎదురుగాలి (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · ga gaoth chinn (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · he רוּחַ נֶגְדִית (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · ru встре́чный ве́тер (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · sv motvind (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · is mótbyr (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · ja 向かい風 (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · es viento de proa (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · ar كَوْس (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · ka შემხვედრი ქარი (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · fi vastatuuli (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · uk зустрі́чний ві́тер (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · ca vent de proa (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · nb motbør (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · nn motvind (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · cs protivítr (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · he רוּחַ פָּנִים (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · kk қарсы жел (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel) · hu ellenszél (wind that blows directly against the course of a vessel)