different between windfall vs windgall

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• enPR: w?nd?fôl, IPA^(key): /?w?nd.f??l/

Noun

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.

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.

Derived terms

Translations

Anagrams

• fall wind

English

Etymology

wind +? gall

Noun

windgall (plural windgalls)

1. A puffy, typically fluid filled sac located just above the fetlock joint on a horse. Generally appearing on old or poorly kept horses.
   • 1844, Alexandre Dumas (anon. translator), The Three Musketeers, Spark Publishing (2004) p. 12

     It was a Bearn pony, from twelve to fourteen years old, yellow in his hide, without a hair in his tail, but not without windgalls on his legs...

Anagrams

• Dingwall