poniente

west

noun poh-NYEN-teh Rare

Origin: From Latin ponens (stem ponent-), present participle of ponere, 'to set' (as the sun sets in the west).

Also means

west wind

Usage Note

Poniente refers to the west as the direction of the setting sun, and also names the westerly wind common along the Spanish Mediterranean coast. It is more literary or nautical than oeste, the neutral term for west used in addresses and maps. In Andalusia, poniente specifically names the cool Atlantic wind that blows through the Strait of Gibraltar.

Examples

"El sol se oculta por el poniente."

Natural Translation

The sun sets in the west.

Literal Translation

The sun hides-itself by the west.

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