hurricane

American  

[hur-i-kayn, huhr-, -kuhn] / ˈhɜr ɪˌkeɪn, ˈhʌr-, -kən /

noun

• hurricanes
  plural

1. Meteorology. a tropical cyclone of the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, or eastern Pacific Ocean, having sustained wind speeds of at least 64 knots (74 miles per hour, 33 meters per second): hurricanes form in waters with surface temperatures of about 80°F (27°C), intensifying as temperatures rise.

2. anything characterized by a turmoil of force or activity, suggestive of a hurricane.

   As our helicopter got closer to the canyon, a hurricane of wild horses took off in all directions, kicking up clouds of dust that impaired the pilot’s vision.

3. Military. Hurricane, a single-seat British fighter plane of World War II, fitted with eight .303 caliber machine guns and with a top speed in excess of 300 miles per hour (480 kilometers per hour).

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hurricane British  

/ ˈhʌrɪkən, -keɪn /

noun

1. a severe, often destructive storm, esp a tropical cyclone

2. 1. a wind of force 12 or above on the Beaufort scale

   2. ( as modifier )

      a wind of hurricane force

3. anything acting like such a wind

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hurricane Scientific  

/ hûr′ĭ-kān′ /

1. A severe, rotating tropical storm with heavy rains and cyclonic winds exceeding 74 mi (119 km) per hour, especially such a storm occurring in the Northern Hemisphere. Hurricanes originate in the tropical parts of the Atlantic Ocean or the Caribbean Sea and move generally northward. They lose force when they move over land or colder ocean waters.

2. See Note at cyclone

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hurricane Cultural  

1. A large tropical storm system with high-powered circular winds. (See cyclone and eye of a hurricane.)

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Usage

What’s the difference between a hurricane, a cyclone, and a typhoon? Hurricane, cyclone, and typhoon are all terms for big storms. Although the word cyclone is often used to refer to a big storm, it is, technically speaking, a large-scale, atmospheric wind-and-pressure system characterized by low pressure at its center and by circular wind motion. Because these generally produce clouds and precipitation, cyclones are often simply referred to as storms. When such storms form around the tropics, they are called tropical cyclones. Tropical cyclones are classified based on their strength. They may start as tropical depressions and progress to tropical storms. The most severe tropical cyclones—those with winds of 74 mph (119 k/mh) or more—are called hurricanes or typhoons. Which term is used depends on where the storm occurs. Generally, storms that form over the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico are called hurricanes, while those that form over the Pacific Ocean are called typhoons. (The word hurricane is sometimes used for storms that form over the eastern or central North Pacific Ocean.)Cyclones rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. hurricane vs. tornadoHurricanes are essentially massive, spinning formations of multiple thunderstorms, while tornadoes are rotating funnel clouds formed from a single storm—and only over land. Tornadoes can form from the thunderstorms that make up a hurricane, but they more commonly form from single thunderstorms. Tornadoes are much, much smaller in scale than hurricanes. cyclone vs. tornadoIn casual use, the word cyclone is sometimes used to refer to a tornado (but it is not used this way in scientific contexts). Here’s an example of hurricane, cyclone, and typhoon used correctly in a sentence. Example: There have been many devastating cyclones this season, including a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico and multiple typhoons in the Pacific. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons.

Discover More

Between July and October, hurricanes cause extensive damage along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. (See Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.)

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• hurricanes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of hurricane

First recorded in 1545–55; earlier furacan, hurricano, uracan, from Spanish huracán and Portuguese furacão, from Taíno huracán, furacán

Compare meaning

How does hurricane compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• tropical storm vs. hurricane
• typhoon vs. hurricane
• cyclone vs. hurricane
• tsunami vs. hurricane
• tropical cyclone vs. hurricane

Explanation

A hurricane is a severe tropical storm with high winds and heavy rain. When a hurricane comes through your town, you should board up the windows and stay inside. Hurricanes have sustained winds that rotate in a circle, which is why they are often referred to as cyclones. The worst hurricane in recent years in America was Hurricane Katrina, which hit New Orleans in 2005 and devastated the city. The word hurricane comes from the Spanish word huracan. Interestingly, the Old English dictionary has 39 spellings for the word based on English-Spanish-Portuguese hybrids.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hurricane hurricanes

This year, no storm has become powerful enough to be classified as a hurricane.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

The hurricane is expected to make a second landfall in northwestern Mexico on Monday or Tuesday, the NHC said.

From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026

Polo, a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 140 mph, is on track to make landfall in Baja California Sur on Monday, unleashing heavy rains and flooding there.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026

In satellite images nor'easters can look strikingly like a hurricane, with spiraling clouds forming over the ocean that span hundreds of miles of coastline.

From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026

Natalie remembered Tía Beatriz saying something similar about the first hurricane she’d survived in Nicaragua.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

Although there haven’t been any hurricanes, eight named storms have developed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

Some had the components to become hurricanes in other years, but they were torn apart within days.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

"This is the first year without hurricanes" in the Mexican Caribbean, said chef Roberto Solis.

From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026

Historically, that authority had been an emergency backstop—used for hurricanes, unexpected outages, and other immediate threats.

From Slate ● Sep. 25, 2026

But now they were in hurricane months and, when there are no hurricanes, the weather of hurricane months is the best of all the year.

From "The Old Man and The Sea" by Ernest Hemingway

Related Words

• cyclone
• gale
• monsoon
• storm
• tornado
• twister