hurricane

American  

[hur-i-keyn, 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

Researchers have figured out how to develop hurricane warnings, tsunami warnings, even an earthquake early warning system.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

The NWS considers super typhoons to have the equivalent destructive potential as a category four or five hurricane.

From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026

Mr. Huling describes a cave in Florida that was walloped by a powerful, once-in-a-century hurricane, drowning almost all of the 4 million bats inside.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026

“The national average could fall below $3.75/gal by July 4, under a optimistic timeline, but hurricane season could be a major wildcard for the rest of summer,” he said in a social-media post.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 14, 2026

Rar-rar-rar-rar-rar!— like he could scare the hurricane back out to sea.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

“Nationally, extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United States, surpassing floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes combined.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026

Although many buildings in the United States are air-conditioned, heat waves cause more deaths in the country than hurricanes and floods.

From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026

Other summer hazards include drought, fires and hurricanes, all of which can lead to extended power outages and expensive repairs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

El Niño also tends to suppress Atlantic hurricanes, and forecasters already expect a quieter-than-average season.

From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026

Peachy Helen, on the other hand, crouched over the newspaper on her kitchen table, moaning over kidnappings, hijackings, and hurricanes as if each one were personal.

From "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye

Related Words

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