gusty

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   marked by sudden, brief bursts of strong wind

   The gusty weather made the small boat difficult to steer.

2. 2
   adj

   coming in sudden forceful bursts rather than steadily

   A gusty wave of panic swept through the crowd and quickly subsided.

Formed from gust ("a sudden blast of wind") + -y. The wind noun is probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse gustr ("a gust, blast"). The figurative sense preserves the idea of something arriving in brief, forceful bursts.

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