vântoare

Vântoare is a Romanian term that can refer to wind-related beings or phenomena in folklore and literature. The word is formed from vânt, meaning wind, with the suffix -oare, which in Romanian can indicate agents or abstract notions connected to the stem. The exact origins and widespread usage of the form are not well standardized, and attestations are mainly found in regional legends and poetic language rather than in formal dictionaries.

In folkloric tradition, vântoarele or figures described as vântoare are often treated as personifications or agents of the wind. They are imagined to travel with the air and to influence weather patterns such as gusts, squalls, or storms. Stories may depict humans negotiating with winds, or employing charms and songs to appease or summon them in order to secure favorable weather or harvests. As with other wind-related beings, regional variations are common, leading to a spectrum of depictions from benevolent guardians of the air to mischievous or dangerous forces.

Modern usage of the term is limited. In contemporary Romanian-language sources, vântoare is not a technical term and appears mainly in folklore studies, ethnographic descriptions, or literary contexts. It serves as a cultural lens for examining how communities perceive and narrate weather, wind, and the natural world.

See also: Romanian folklore and mythological beings; wind and weather in culture; personifications of wind.