windfall

From Middle English windfal, wyndfall, equivalent to wind +‎ fall. Cognate with Middle High German wintval, wintfal, German Windfall.

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: wĭndʹfôl, IPA^(key): /ˈwɪnd.fɔːl/

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• (General American) enPR: wĭndʹfôl, IPA^(key): /ˈwɪnd.fɔl/
• (cot–caught merger) enPR: wĭndʹfäl, IPA^(key): /ˈwɪnd.fɑl/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈwɪnd.fo(ː)l/

windfall (plural windfalls)

1. Something that has been blown down by the wind.
2. A fruit that has fallen from a tree naturally, as from wind.

   They couldn't reach the branches, so they ate the windfalls.

3. (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.

   Synonyms: godsend, boon

   • 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.

   • 2023 October 19, Brendan I. Koerner, “Watch This Guy Work, and You’ll Finally Understand the TikTok Era”, in Wired‎, →ISSN:

     One of six siblings who’d been raised by a single mother, the client had earned a windfall of around $400,000 after going viral in 2021.

• serendipity
• windthrow

• fall wind