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windfallan unexpected piece of good fortune, especially financial gain

Part of speech: NOUN

Definition: an unexpected piece of good fortune, especially financial gain

Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈwɪndˌfɔːl/

Example Sentences

  • Winning the lottery was such a windfall that he quit his job and bought a yacht.
  • The inheritance from her great-aunt was an unexpected windfall.
  • Finding a $100 bill on the sidewalk was a small windfall that made her day.

windfall

NOUN

[/ˈwɪndˌfɔːl/]

an unexpected piece of good fortune, especially financial gain

Unexpected lottery win surprise
💡 Concept

Unexpected lottery win surprise

From downfall in the rainfall comes an unexpected windfall!
🎵 Rhyme

From downfall in the rainfall comes an unexpected windfall!

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🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/ˈwɪndˌfɔːl/
🇬🇧 UK/ˈwɪndˌfɔːl/

🌳Etymology

Rootwind + fall

Origin

Windfall originated from the literal meaning of fruit blown down by wind from trees. The term evolved from describing the unexpected gain of collecting fallen fruit to metaphorically represent any sudden, unanticipated financial gain or stroke of good fortune.

Breakdown

wind (moving air) + fall (to drop or descend), combining to describe fruit naturally knocked down from trees by wind.

🎵Rhyme

downfallrainfallfootfall
downfall
rainfall
footfall

🔗Collocations

unexpected windfall
financial windfall
windfall profit
windfall tax
receive a windfall
windfall gain

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

Winning the lottery was such a windfall that he quit his job and bought a yacht.

The inheritance from her great-aunt was an unexpected windfall.

Finding a $100 bill on the sidewalk was a small windfall that made her day.

The company's windfall profits from the oil boom allowed them to expand globally.

📚Related Words

Synonyms

bonanzajackpotfortuneblessinggodsend

Antonyms

lossmisfortunesetback

Related

lotteryinheritanceprofitgainluck

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