Definition

A skin irritation that occurs after being exposed to wind for a long time, often resulting in redness and discomfort.

Example

After hiking in the mountains all day, I noticed I had windburn on my face.

Conversation

I went hiking yesterday and got some serious windburn on my face.

Ouch, that sounds painful! Did you forget to wear sunscreen?

Yeah, I didn’t think the wind would be that strong.

Always better to be safe; wind can really cause windburn if you're not careful.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Windburn → It is formed from "wind" (from Old English "wind", meaning moving air) and "burn" (from Old English "byrnan", meaning to burn). The word "windburn" refers to the burning sensation on the skin caused by exposure to cold, windy conditions.

Memory Tip

Think of the 'moving air' ('wind') that can 'burn' your skin, which helps you remember that windburn is the irritation caused by wind.

Visually Confused Words