pactole
windfall, gold mine
noun pak-TOL Rare
Origin: Pactolus, gold-bearing river of ancient Lydia
Usage Note
Pactole comes from the name of the Pactolus river, famed in antiquity for its golden sands associated with King Midas. In modern French it is used figuratively to mean an unexpected large sum of money or a very lucrative source of income. The expression toucher le pactole means to hit the jackpot.
Examples
"Ce contrat représente un vrai pactole pour l'entreprise."
Natural Translation
This contract represents a real windfall for the company.

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