Windfall
/ˈwɪndˌfɔːl/noun
Something gained unexpectedly or without effort.
Did you know?The word originally referred to fruit or timber blown down by the wind, and only later became a metaphor for unexpected profit or luck.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
English
wind
“moving air”
Old English
English
fall
“to drop or descend”
Middle English
English
windfall
“fruit, branches, or timber blown down by the wind”
16th Century
English
windfall
“something obtained unexpectedly, especially a profit or gain”
Modern English
English
windfall
“an unexpected piece of good fortune or money”