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n. 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. [American Spanish, the girl (to distinguish it from El Niño) : Spanish la, the (from Latin illa, feminine of ille; see al-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + niña, daughter (from Old Spanish ninna, from Vulgar Latin *nīnna).] |
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