tropical cyclone

American  

[trop-i-kuhl sahy-klohn] / ˈtrɒp ɪ kəl ˈsaɪ kloʊn /

noun

Meteorology.

1. a warm-core cyclone that originates over a tropical ocean area, generally beginning as a tropical depression and having the potential to intensify and develop into a hurricane or typhoon, classifications that depend on where the storm is occurring.

---

tropical cyclone Scientific  

/ trŏp′ĭ-kəl /

1. See under cyclone

---

Etymology

Origin of tropical cyclone

First recorded in 1915–20

Compare meaning

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

• tropical cyclone vs. hurricane
• tropical cyclone vs. tropical storm

Example Sentences

Patricia holds the record as the strongest tropical cyclone ever observed, with winds reaching up to 185 knots -- powerful enough to qualify as a Category 7 storm, if such a category existed, Lin said.

From Science Daily • Dec. 25, 2025

Vietnam is in one of the most active tropical cyclone regions on Earth and is typically affected by 10 typhoons or storms a year, but Koto is the 15th of 2025.

From Barron's • Nov. 30, 2025

The tropical cyclone left more than 180,000 homes without power and 170,000 without running water after making landfall on Friday morning.

From BBC • Feb. 28, 2025

The system is expected to slowly intensify over the next 24 hours to tropical cyclone status while approaching the coast of Mozambique.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2025

My mind spun like the vortex of a tropical cyclone.

From "The London Eye Mystery" by Siobhan Dowd