English Explanatory Dictionary

tornado

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A violent wind in the form of a mobile, rapidly rotating, funnel cloud that has contacted the ground.
verb
  1. To sweep through something violently.

Pronunciation

tô(r)-nā'dō /tɔː(ɹ)ˈneɪ.dəʊ/ /tɔɹˈneɪ.doʊ/ en-us-tornado.ogg

Word forms

tornado tornadoes tornados tornadoing tornadoed

Etymology

From earlier English ternado, attested since the 1550s as a nautical term for a windy thunderstorm. From Spanish tronada (“thunderstorm”), from tronar (“to thunder”), from Latin tonō (“to thunder”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tenh₂- (“to thunder”). The o and r were reversed in English (metathesis) under influence of Spanish tornar (“to twist, to turn”), from Latin tornō (“to turn”).

Synonyms

twister whirlstorm

Related words

cyclone dust devil waterspout willy willy hurricane typhoon tournedo(s)

Derived words

firenado horse tornado -nado pornado rope tornado snownado stovepipe tornado tornadic Tornado Alley tornado brain tornado chaser tornado drill tornado fry tornado hunter tornado juice tornado omelette tornado omurice tornado outbreak tornado potato tornado shelter tornado siren tornado warning tornado watch volnado wedge tornado
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