typhoon
[ tahy-foon ]
/ taɪˈfun /
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noun
Meteorology. a tropical cyclone in the western Pacific Ocean or northern Indian Ocean, having sustained winds of at least 64 knots (74 miles per hour, 33 meters per second): typhoons form in waters with surface temperatures of about 80°F (27°C), intensifying as temperatures rise.Compare hurricane (def. 1).
(initial capital letter)Military.
- a single-engine British ground attack aircraft of World War II.
- NATO's name for a class of nuclear-powered Soviet ballistic missile submarine carrying 20 multiwarhead missiles.
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Origin of typhoon
First recorded in 1580–90; alteration (influenced by Greek tȳphôn “violent wind, whirlwind”) of earlier touffon, tufan, from Arabic ṭūfān “hurricane, deluge” (perhaps from Greek tȳphôn ), from dialectal Chinese (Guangdong) taaî fung, equivalent to Chinese dàfēng “great wind”
OTHER WORDS FROM typhoon
ty·phon·ic [tahy-fon-ik], /taɪˈfɒn ɪk/, adjectiveWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH typhoon
cyclone, hurricane, tidal wave, tornado, tsunami, typhoonWords nearby typhoon
typhoid fever, typhoidin, Typhoid Mary, typhoid vaccine, typhon, typhoon, typhus, typhus vaccine, typical, typicon, typify
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for typhoon
British Dictionary definitions for typhoon
typhoon
/ (taɪˈfuːn) /
noun
a violent tropical storm or cyclone, esp in the China seas and W Pacific
a violent storm of India
Derived forms of typhoon
typhonic (taɪˈfɒnɪk), adjectiveWord Origin for typhoon
C16: from Chinese tai fung great wind, from tai great + fung wind; influenced by Greek tuphōn whirlwind
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Scientific definitions for typhoon
typhoon
[ tī-fōōn′ ]
A violent cyclonic storm occurring in the western Pacific Ocean. See Note at cyclone.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Cultural definitions for typhoon
notes for typhoon
A typhoon is similar to a hurricane in levels of destructiveness.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.