tornado

[ tawr-ney-doh ]

noun

, plural tor·na·does, tor·na·dos.

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. Compare waterspout ( def 3 ).
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. Tornado, Military. a supersonic, two-seat, multipurpose military aircraft produced jointly by West Germany, Britain, and Italy and capable of flying in darkness and bad weather.

tornado

/ tɔːˈneɪdəʊ; tɔːˈnædɪk /

noun

1. Also calledcycloneUS and Canadian informaltwister 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

tornado

/ 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.

tornado

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

Notes

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.

Derived Forms

• torˈnado-ˌlike, adjective
• tornadic, adjective

Other Words From

• tor·nad·ic [tawr-, nad, -ik, -, ney, -dik], adjective
• tor·na·do·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tornado¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of tornado¹

C16: probably alteration of Spanish tronada thunderstorm (from tronar to thunder, from Latin tonāre ), through influence of tornar to turn, from Latin tornāre to turn in a lathe

Example Sentences

A tornado hit Welch and Rawlings’ studio earlier this year and almost destroyed their archives, inspiring them to release the music as soon as they could.

From Outside Online

So I back-burnered tornadoes for decades and nearly forgot about them.

From Outside Online

I decided to book the Mayhem 1 tour with Extreme Chase Tours, one of some 20 stormchasing outfits in the country, which promises a 90 percent chance of seeing a tornado over the course of six days.

From Outside Online

Imagine a straight length of hose, representing the length of a straight vortex like a tornado.

From Quanta Magazine

Meteorologist Victor Gensini of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb led a recent project to use the MJO, among other factors, to forecast tornado outbreaks in the central and eastern United States two to three weeks in advance.

From Science News

At the time, sirens were not yet standard in tornado country.

From The Daily Beast

About 9:30 p.m. on Palm Sunday in 1965, a tornado struck Toledo, Ohio.

From The Daily Beast

The classic film that opens with a tornado sweeping through a Kansas farm made its debut 75 years ago in 1939.

From The Daily Beast

Fallin has received high marks for her leadership after a tornado devastated the town of Moore.

From The Daily Beast

And the town of Moore was no longer known just for the tornado that devastated it a year ago.

From The Daily Beast

A fearsome thunderstorm or howling tornado of dust might reveal her fickleness of mood at any moment.

From Project Gutenberg

A tremendous tornado passed over the city of Natchez, very destructive to life and property.

From Project Gutenberg

A destructive tornado swept over a portion of Lapeer county, Michigan.

From Project Gutenberg

She was timid during any thunder shower and this was worse than a shower which threatened—a tornado seemed imminent.

From Project Gutenberg

He fell upon Mrs. Buttershaw, a slatternly and sour-visaged woman, and hurled at her a tornado of questions.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• twister
• whirlwind
• windstorm