tornado

American  

[tawr-ney-doh] / tɔrˈneɪ doʊ /

noun

• tornadoes,
  plural
• tornados
  plural

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.

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tornado British  

/ tɔːˈneɪdəʊ /

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

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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.

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tornado Cultural  

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

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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

Derived Forms

• tornadic
  adjective
• tornado-like
  adjective
• tornadolike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• tornadoes
  plural
• tornados
  plural

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

Explanation

A tornado is a violent windstorm in the shape of a funnel cloud that reaches to the ground. If a tornado is coming, you’ll want to take cover. A tornado can be quite severe and leave a lot of destruction in its wake, Tornadoes (or tornados — either is correct) tend to occur more often and with more severity in areas over flat lands, such as the Great Plains. That Kansas “twister” in The Wizard of Oz is a famous example of a tornado. Tornado is sometimes used to describe someone or something that acts like a tornado — with intense, violent energy or emotion.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tornado tornadoes tornados

"A tornado of rare intensity struck Aude late yesterday afternoon, severely damaging the village of Pomas," Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on X.

From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026

The tornado that transported Dorothy Gale from dusty Kansas to vibrant Oz might have swept up the village idiot instead.

From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026

I said, giddy to have a break from home and the tornado of emotions that had been haunting me all day.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

This is a rare occurrence for the region, which last recorded a tornado in 2021, according to state media.

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026

Each boy is a walking, breathing, talking tornado.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

Earlier, residents of Kauai and Nihau were warned to watch for tornadoes -- though it was not immediately clear if these did in fact form.

From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026

Developers can’t protect assets from the most severe grade of tornadoes, but rely on the fact that the chances of one hitting any particular location is very low, according to Clark.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026

Insurance costs have gone up significantly as severe storms, hail and occasional tornadoes plow through the area, Helbig noted.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 22, 2026

That doesn’t provide a lot of wiggle room to deal with emergencies like hurricanes or tornadoes, or with increased healthcare costs as you age.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026

Ivan spawned 119 tornadoes and created over $18 billion dollars in damage.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

The news today is filled with photographs and stories about tornados that have blasted through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Kentucky.

From Salon ● May 29, 2024

Nebraska, Illinois and Wisconsin were also hit by tornados, heavy rain and power cuts.

From BBC ● May 22, 2024

In its latest eclipse forecast Sunday, the US National Weather Service warned of potential severe conditions including heavy rain, tornados and hail which may affect travel in Texas and nearby states.

From BBC ● Apr. 8, 2024

In Kentucky, crews were out Wednesday morning surveying damage and cleaning up from storms that had moved through, producing at least four tornados, officials said.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 3, 2024

It’s actually tornados that I'm terrified of, ever since I watched The Wizard of Oz at Naano’s house with Jamal Mamoo when I was little.

From "Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun" by Hena Khan

Related Words

• twister
• whirlwind
• windstorm