ветер
veter
/ˈvʲetʲɪr/
Definition
The movement of air outdoors; wind. A natural force you can feel but not see.
Example
Сильный ветер сдул листья с деревьев.
Show translation
A strong wind blew the leaves off the trees.
Etymology
From Proto-Slavic *větrъ, related to Proto-Indo-European *h₂weh₁- ("to blow"). Cognate with Lithuanian vėjas ("wind") and Sanskrit वात (vāta, "wind"). The same root survives in the Russian verb веять ("to waft, to blow gently").
Cultural note
Wind carries rich metaphorical weight in Russian literature and folklore. The phrase ветер перемен ("wind of change") became widely known in the late Soviet era as a symbol of reform. In folk belief, strong winds were sometimes personified as spirits. Note also the idiom искать ветра в поле ("to look for wind in a field"), meaning to chase something impossible to find — akin to English "chase the wind."