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, tɔːˈnædɪk /

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

Brett Pawlak’s camera spins a cartwheel alongside a flying kick, then plunges into the eye of a tornado of bad guys trapped in a web.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026

No fatalities or injuries were immediately reported after an EF-2 tornado hit Wisconsin.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

Window reflections have been misconstrued as a possible intruder and a tornado.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 5, 2026

They can become a tornado if it extends all the way to the surface.

From BBC ● May 3, 2026

This, the tornado drill, the being late to school, this is all just another example of the ways that Byrd keeps her mysteries.

From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers

It has also triggered thunderstorms, and even tornadoes, in the central province of Hubei - hundreds of kilometres away.

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026

Thunderstorms and gale-force winds killed another 11 people and injured 331 in the central province of Hubei, and tornadoes were reported elsewhere late on Monday, state news agency Xinhua said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026

In a first-of-its-kind large-scale study, scientists created giant fire whirls, spinning columns of flame that resemble fire tornadoes, and found they burn oil faster and more cleanly than conventional methods.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 5, 2026

But even if you skip a marathon art-viewing session this week, there’s plenty to enjoy among the whirlwind of fairs dotted across the city like tornadoes on a Kansas plain.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026

She was losing her strength, and it looked as if the tornadoes had ripped off giant pieces of her body.

From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley

Changes in pressure and high winds also puts the area from eastern Texas to western Tennessee at enhanced risk for tornados.

From BBC ● Apr. 5, 2025

"Those who have past experiences with tornados reported that they needed fewer than 15 minutes to prepare when a warning was issued, but those without that experience wanted more lead time to prepare," Armstrong said.

From Science Daily ● May 9, 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

The National Weather Service confirmed nine tornados in Ohio, including an EF-3 tornado that began in southern Auglaize County near Fryburg and continued through the Lakeview area in northern Logan County.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 17, 2024

Today me and Lloyd were a pair of whirlwinds – two tornados back and forth to the barn a dozen times before breakfast.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

Related Words

• twister
• whirlwind
• windstorm