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In the Netherlands we have a term for when for example you're biking on the streets and you have the wind in the back. We call that wind meewind, and we say we have meewind (translated as wind with).
We also have a term for when we have to cycle against the wind. We call that wind tegenwind (literally translated as wind against). We arrive faster at our destination via bike when we have meewind.
Does the English also have two words to describe these two versions of wind?
The terms are most often heard in connection with aviation (flying), but it would not be incorrect to say that one is riding “with a tailwind” (meewind) or “into a headwind” (tegenwind).
The other answer of headwind/tailwind is absolutely correct to describe the wind itself, but you could also describe directions relative to the wind as upwind and downwind. Moving in an upwind direction means moving into the wind, which itself could then be described as a headwind. Moving downwind means moving in the same direction as the wind, which can then be described as a tailwind. Other terms to describe direction with respect to the wind are windward (upwind) and leeward (downwind). One rides windward into a headwind, and leeward with a tailwind.
