Tornado Definition & Meaning

Home » How Do You Spell Tornado » Tornado Definition & Meaning

Maybe your like

  • American
  • British
  • Scientific
  • Cultural
  • Discover More
  • Other Word Forms
  • Etymology
  • Examples
  • Related Words
    • Synonyms tornado American [tawr-ney-doh] / tɔrˈneɪ doʊ /

    noun

    plural

    tornadoes, tornados

    1. Meteorology. a potentially violent and destructive system of atmospheric circulation, characterized by a long, funnel-shaped cloud extending toward the ground and made visible by condensation and debris: although tornadoes have occurred on all continents except Antarctica, they are most common in the United States, especially in the area known as Tornado Alley.

    2. Meteorology. a violent squall or whirlwind of small extent, as one of those occurring during the summer on the west coast of Africa.

    3. a violent outburst, as of emotion or activity.

      The weekly tornado has arrived—in the form of my three grandchildren and their two dogs.

    4. Military. Tornado, a supersonic, two-seat, multipurpose military aircraft produced jointly by West Germany, Britain, and Italy and capable of flying in darkness and bad weather.

    tornado British / tɔːˈneɪdəʊ, tɔːˈnædɪk /

    noun

    1. Also called: cyclone. twister. a violent storm with winds whirling around a small area of extremely low pressure, usually characterized by a dark funnel-shaped cloud causing damage along its path

    2. a small but violent squall or whirlwind, such as those occurring on the West African coast

    3. any violently active or destructive person or thing

    4. (often capital) a type of dinghy, designed to be crewed by two people

    "Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 tornado Scientific / tôr-nā′dō /

    1. A violently rotating column of air extending from a cumulonimbus cloud to the Earth, ranging in width from a few meters to more than a kilometer and whirling at speeds between 64 km (40 mi) and 509 km (316 mi) per hour or higher with comparable updrafts in the center of the vortex. The vortex may contain several smaller vortices rotating within it. Tornadoes typically take the form of a twisting, funnel-shaped cloud extending downward from storm clouds, often reaching the ground, and dissolving into thin, ropelike clouds as the tornado dissipates. Tornadoes may travel from a few dozen meters to hundreds of kilometers along the ground. Tornadoes usually form in the tail end of violent thunderstorms, with weaker funnels sometimes forming in groups along a leading squall line of an advancing cold front or in areas near a hurricane. The strongest tornadoes, which may last several hours and travel hundreds of kilometers, can cause massive destruction in a relatively narrow strip along their path. The causes of tornado formation are not well understood.

    tornado Cultural

    1. In meteorology, a storm in which high-speed winds move in a funnel-shaped pattern.

    Discover More

    Tornadoes occur chiefly during thunderstorms.

    Tornadoes are common in the Middle West.

    If the tip of the funnel touches the ground, it can cause extensive damage.

    Other Word Forms

    • tornadic adjective
    • tornado-like adjective
    • tornadolike adjective

    Etymology

    Origin of tornado

    First recorded in 1550–60; apparently by metathesis from Spanish tronada “thunderstorm,” noun use of feminine of tronado, past participle of tronar, from Latin tonāre “to thunder”; replacing 16th-century ternado, with unexplained e

    Example Sentences

    Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

    In Boyle Heights, a rare tornado touched down on Christmas morning.

    From Los Angeles Times

    With a wind speed of up to 80 mph, a brief tornado traveled for about one-third of a mile in Boyle Heights, a neighborhood on L.A.’s Eastside, just after 10 a.m.

    From Los Angeles Times

    The tornado first damaged a home on Lee Street, damaging the roof and allowing rainwater to leak inside.

    From Los Angeles Times

    After downsizing, a tornado took out everything I had left.

    From MarketWatch

    The film contains more than 1,000 digital fire FX shots, ranging from flaming arrows and flamethrowers to massive explosions and fire tornadoes.

    From Los Angeles Times

    Related Words

    • twister
    • whirlwind
    • windstorm

    Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

    Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

    Tag » How Do You Spell Tornado