La Niña

(lä nēnˈyä)

noun
A cooling of the ocean surface off the western coast of South America, occurring periodically every 4 to 12 years and affecting Pacific and other weather patterns.

Origin:

Origin: American Spanish, the girl (to distinguish it from El Niño)

Origin: : Spanish la, the (from Latin illa, feminine of ille; see al-1 in Indo-European roots)

Origin: + niña, daughter (from Old Spanish ninna, from Vulgar Latin *nīnna)

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