windfall — an 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

From downfall in the rainfall comes an unexpected windfall!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
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
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“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
Antonyms
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