tornado

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Storm survey crews determined the tornado was an EF1 strength, with winds of 110 mph.

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Definitions (9)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (3)

  1. noun A rotating column of air ranging in width from a few yards to more than a mile and whirling at destructively high speeds, usually accompanied by a funnel-shaped downward extension of a cumulonimbus cloud.
  2. noun A violent thunderstorm in western Africa or nearby Atlantic waters.
  3. noun A whirlwind or hurricane.

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Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

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Examples (25)

  • But to 83-year-old Rachel Manning, the tornado was a big one. —  The Times-Journal: News
  • For example, the vortex of a tornado is an emergent property of atmospheric movements and temperature gradients. —  Latest Articles
  • Another tornado was also reported in Muse, Oklahoma were some injuries were reported.
  • "This tornado was a 'direct hit' causing a lot of damage to the community of Mena," noted Charlie Snyder, State Executive Director of Farmers Insurance in Arkansas. —  Digital50.com Digital 50 Daily Industry News RSS Feed
  • If you can't, not being destroyed by a tornado is a nice surprise. —  StraightUpSearch
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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Alteration (perhaps influenced by Spanish tornar, to turn) of Spanish tronada, thunderstorm, from tronar, to thunder, from Latin tonāre; see (s)tenə- in Indo-European roots.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. With the common change of terminal -a to -o, to give the word a more Spanish look (also sometimes tornade), from Spanish (and Portuguese) tornada, a return, or turning about (applied apparently at one time by Spanish and Portuguese sailors to a whirling wind at sea). from tornar, turn, from Latin tornare, turn: see turn. The Portuguese name is travado; the Spanish name is turbonada.
 

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/tɔrˈneɪdoʊ/
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