English

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A shelf cloud marking the leading edge of a derecho

Etymology

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Learned borrowing from Spanish derecho (straight). First used by Gustavus Detlef Hinrichs in 1888, apparently coined to distinguish the winds from tornadoes, which rotate;[1][2] compare tornado. Doublet of direct.

Pronunciation

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  • (US) IPA(key): /dəˈɹeɪ.t͡ʃoʊ/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Noun

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derecho (plural derechos or derechoes)

  1. (meteorology, US) A windstorm characterized by strong, straight-line winds.
    • 2015, Chris J. Peterson, Jeffery B. Cannon, Christopher M. Godfrey, “5: First Steps Toward Defining the Wind Disturbance Regime in Central Hardwoods Forests”, in Cathryn H. Greenberg, Beverly S. Collins, editors, Natural Disturbances and Historic Range of Variation, Springer, page 116:
      Combining all of the above, the Arkansas Valley, Ouachita Mountains, Interior Plateau, and Southwest Appalachian ecoregions have the greatest risk of wind damage from tornadoes and derechos, whereas weakening hurricanes are an important disturbance, especially in the Piedmont ecoregion.
    • 2016, Bill Streever, And Soon I Heard a Roaring Wind, Hachette, unnumbered page:
      Derechos have winds as powerful as those of some hurricanes and tornadoes. "Derecho" comes from the Spanish word meaning "straight."
    • 2022, Alexander Gates, Earth's Fury, Wiley, unnumbered page:
      A derecho can be as destructive as a weak to moderate tornado, but the damage is mainly the result of straight-line rather than rotating winds.
      However, tornadoes can also form along the bow of a derecho. Derechos can sometimes be recognized as a bank of ominous-looking "shelf" clouds that appear darker than normal clouds.

Translations

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References

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Further reading

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Anagrams

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Asturian

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Adjective

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derecho

  1. neuter of derechu

Ladino

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Etymology

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From Old Spanish, from Vulgar Latin *dērēctus, from Latin dīrectus.

Adjective

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derecho (Latin spelling, feminine derecha)

  1. straight, simple

Derived terms

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Papiamentu

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Etymology

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From Spanish derecho.

Noun

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derecho

  1. the right to
  2. (civil) right
  3. claim
  4. tax

Spanish

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Inherited from Old Spanish, from Vulgar Latin *dērēctus, from Latin dīrectus.[1] Doublet of directo.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /deˈɾet͡ʃo/ [d̪eˈɾe.t͡ʃo]
  • Audio (Mexico):(file)
  • Rhymes: -etʃo
  • Syllabification: de‧re‧cho

Adjective

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derecho (feminine derecha, masculine plural derechos, feminine plural derechas)

  1. straight (not crooked or bent; having a constant direction throughout its length)
    Synonym: recto
  2. straight; upright (perfectly horizontal or vertical; not diagonal or oblique)
    sentarse derechoto sit upright
  3. right, right-hand (designating the side of the body which is positioned to the east if one is facing north)
    la mano derechathe right hand
  4. correct, appropriate, right
    Synonyms: correcto, apropiado

Derived terms

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Noun

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derecho m (plural derechos)

  1. right (a legal, just or moral entitlement)
    el derecho al votothe right to vote
    derechos humanoshuman rights
  2. law, jurisprudence (the study of laws)
  3. law (the profession of dealing with laws (as lawyers, judges, etc.))
  4. right (the outward or most finished surface, as of a coin, piece of cloth, a carpet, etc.)
    1. (textiles) right side (The side of a fabric that is intended to face outward on a finished project)
      • 2014, Juliana Vaquero González, Planchado y arreglo de ropa en alojamientos, Ideaspropias Editorial, →ISBN, page 163:
        Las puntadas que se realizan no deben traspasar la tela y, por lo tanto, no debe verse por el derecho.
        The stitches made should not go through the fabric, and, therefore, should not be seen on the right side.
  5. (in the plural) duties, taxes, fees, charges
  6. (rare) path, road
    Synonyms: sendero, camino

Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • English: derecho
  • Papiamentu: derecho, drechi

Adverb

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derecho

  1. straight (of a direction relative to the subject, precisely; as if following a direct line)
    Synonym: recto
    Sigue derecho.Keep going [straight].
  2. straight (directly; without pause, delay or detour)
    Synonym: directamente

References

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  1. ^ Joan Coromines, José A[ntonio] Pascual (1983–1991) “derecho”, in Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico (in Spanish), Madrid: Gredos

Further reading

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