TERMIUM Plus®
The Government of Canada’s terminology and linguistic data bank.
FOG DESERT [3 records]
Record 1 - internal organization data 2023-01-26
Record 1, English
Record 1, Subject field(s)
- Geomorphology and Geomorphogeny
- Climatology
Record 1, Main entry term, English
- coastal desert
1, record 1, English, coastal%20desert
correct
Record 1, Abbreviations, English
Record 1, Synonyms, English
- coastal fog desert 2, record 1, English, coastal%20fog%20desert
correct
- fog desert 3, record 1, English, fog%20desert
correct
Record 1, Textual support, English
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 CONT
A fog desert is a type of desert where fog drip supplies the majority of moisture needed by animal and plant life. Examples of fog deserts include the Atacama Desert of coastal Chile and Peru, the Baja California Desert of Mexico, the Namib Desert in Namibia, the Arabian Peninsula coastal fog desert, and a manmade instance within Biosphere 2, an artificial closed ecosphere in Arizona. 4, record 1, English, - coastal%20desert
Record 1, French
Record 1, Domaine(s)
- Géomorphologie et géomorphogénie
- Climatologie
Record 1, Main entry term, French
- désert côtier
1, record 1, French, d%C3%A9sert%20c%C3%B4tier
correct, masculine noun
Record 1, Abbreviations, French
Record 1, Synonyms, French
- désert de brouillard côtier 2, record 1, French, d%C3%A9sert%20de%20brouillard%20c%C3%B4tier
correct, masculine noun
- désert de brouillard 3, record 1, French, d%C3%A9sert%20de%20brouillard
correct, masculine noun
Record 1, Textual support, French
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 CONT
Les déserts côtiers se trouvent sur la côte ouest de l'Afrique et en Amérique du Sud, à proximité du tropique du Cancer et du tropique du Capricorne. Ils comprennent le désert côtier du Sahara occidental, la côte squelette de la Namibie et de l'Angola, et le désert d'Atacama au Chili. 4, record 1, French, - d%C3%A9sert%20c%C3%B4tier
Record 1, Spanish
Record 1, Textual support, Spanish
Record 2 - internal organization data 2004-05-21
Record 2, English
Record 2, Subject field(s)
- Atmospheric Physics
Record 2, Main entry term, English
- sirocco
1, record 2, English, sirocco
correct
Record 2, Abbreviations, English
Record 2, Synonyms, English
- scirocco 1, record 2, English, scirocco
correct
Record 2, Textual support, English
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Hot, humid, southerly winds in southern Italy, Sicily and Malta which originate over the Sahara but gain moisture on crossing the Mediterranean Sea. 2, record 2, English, - sirocco
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 OBS
The air comes from the Sahara(as a desert wind) and is dry and dusty, but the term is not used in North Africa, where it is called chom(hot) or arifi(thirsty). In crossing the Mediterranean the sirocco picks up much moisture because of its high temperature, and reaches Malta, Sicily, and southern Italy as a very enervating, hot, humid wind. As it travels northward, it causes fog and rain. In some parts of the Mediterranean region the word may be used for any warm southerly wind, often of foehn type. In the extreme southwest of Greece a warm foehn crossing the coastal mountains is named sirocco di levante. There are a number of local variants of the spelling such as xaroco(Portuguese), jaloque or xaloque(Spanish), xaloc or xaloch(Catalonian). In the Rhône delta the warm rainy southeast sirocco is called eissero. On Zakynthos Island it is called lampaditsa. 3, record 2, English, - sirocco
Record 2, French
Record 2, Domaine(s)
- Physique de l'atmosphère
Record 2, Main entry term, French
- sirocco
1, record 2, French, sirocco
correct, masculine noun
Record 2, Abbreviations, French
Record 2, Synonyms, French
- scirocco 2, record 2, French, scirocco
correct, masculine noun
- siroco 3, record 2, French, siroco
correct, masculine noun
Record 2, Textual support, French
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Vent du sud, chaud et humide, dans le sud de l'Italie, en Sicile et à Malte; il provient du Sahara et acquiert de l'humidité en traversant la Méditerranée. 3, record 2, French, - sirocco
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 OBS
L'air vient du Sahara comme vent de désert; il est chaud et poussiéreux. En Afrique du Nord, on l'appelle chom (chaud) ou arifi (soif). En traversant la Méditerranée, le sirocco recueille beaucoup d'humidité à cause de sa température élevée et atteint Malte, la Sicile et le sud de l'Italie comme vent humide et chaud. En se mouvant vers le nord, il produit du brouillard et de la pluie. Dans l'extrême sud-ouest de la Grèce un foehn chaud qui traverse les montagnes côtières porte le nom de sirocco di levante. L'appellation du vent diffère suivant les pays. Le sirocco s'appelle xaroco au Portugal, jaloque ou xaloque en Espagne, xaloc ou xaloch en Catalogne. Dans le delta du Rhône, le sirocco pluvieux et chaud est appelé eissero. À l'île de Zakynthos, on l'appelle lampaditsa. 2, record 2, French, - sirocco
Record 2, Spanish
Record 2, Campo(s) temático(s)
- Física de la atmósfera
Record 2, Main entry term, Spanish
- siroco
1, record 2, Spanish, siroco
masculine noun
Record 2, Abbreviations, Spanish
Record 2, Synonyms, Spanish
Record 2, Textual support, Spanish
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 DEF
En el sur de Italia, Sicilia y Malta, un viento cálido húmedo, procedente del sur; es aire del Sahara que adquiere humedad al cruzar el Mediterráneo. 1, record 2, Spanish, - siroco
Record 3 - internal organization data 2004-04-15
Record 3, English
Record 3, Subject field(s)
- Titles of Federal Government Programs (Canadian)
- International Relations
Record 3, Main entry term, English
- Tapping Into Fog
1, record 3, English, Tapping%20Into%20Fog
correct, Canada
Record 3, Abbreviations, English
Record 3, Synonyms, English
Record 3, Textual support, English
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 1 OBS
An International Development Research Centre(IRDC) Project. The frugal use of expensive water trucked in from distant wells was a way of life in the parched desert village of Chungungo, Chile — located in one of the driest parts of the world. In addition to being costly, the water was often contaminated, contributing to poor sanitation, ill health, and low food production. Today, a simple technology collects water from fog, supplying villagers with two or three times more water than they once used and at a lower cost. What makes this possible is the persistent, extensive cloud cover(camanchacas) along the coast of Chile, which creates continual fog as the prevailing winds move inland across the mountains. 1, record 3, English, - Tapping%20Into%20Fog
Record 3, French
Record 3, Domaine(s)
- Titres de programmes fédéraux (Gouvernement canadien)
- Relations internationales
Record 3, Main entry term, French
- Capteurs de brouillard
1, record 3, French, Capteurs%20de%20brouillard
correct, masculine noun, Canada
Record 3, Abbreviations, French
Record 3, Synonyms, French
Record 3, Textual support, French
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 1 OBS
Un projet du Centre de recherches pour le développement international (CRDI). À Chungungo, au Chili, petit village situé dans une des régions les plus arides du monde, l'eau est une denrée précieuse. Transportée par camion en provenance de puits éloignés, il a longtemps été normal de l'utiliser au compte-gouttes. D'un coût très élevé, l'eau, souvent contaminée, était responsable des piètres conditions hygiéniques, de la prolifération de maladies et de l'insuffisance de la production alimentaire. Aujourd'hui, grâce à une technique toute simple, on peut recueillir l'eau contenue dans le brouillard et fournir aux villageois deux ou trois fois plus d'eau qu'ils n'en utilisaient auparavant et ce, à meilleur marché. L'épais brouillard (camanchaca), qui s'étend presque en permanence le long de la côte du Chili et crée des nappes de brumes tenaces quand les vents dominants soufflent de la mer et franchissent les montagnes, rend possible le recours à cette technique. 1, record 3, French, - Capteurs%20de%20brouillard
Record 3, Spanish
Record 3, Textual support, Spanish
Copyright notice for the TERMIUM Plus® data bank
© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2025
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
A product of the Translation Bureau
Features
Language Portal of Canada

Access a collection of Canadian resources on all aspects of English and French, including quizzes.
Writing tools

The Language Portal’s writing tools have a new look! Easy to consult, they give you access to a wealth of information that will help you write better in English and French.
Glossaries and vocabularies

Access Translation Bureau glossaries and vocabularies.
- Date Modified: