waterspout
Americannoun
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waterspouts
plural
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Also called rainspout. a pipe running down the side of a building to carry away water from the gutter of the roof.
Don’t expect the waterspouts to function effectively if the gutters are clogged with leaves and other debris.
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a spout, duct, or the like, from which water is discharged.
The extendable waterspout can be attached to a bucket, making a better watering can than any that we’ve tried.
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Also called fair-weather waterspout. Meteorology. a funnel-shaped column laden with mist and spray that develops on the surface of a body of water and climbs upward to the cloud that has spawned it: usually formed during conditions of light winds, fair-weather waterspouts have little lateral movement and are not normally accompanied by thunderstorms.
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Also called tornadic waterspout. Meteorology. a tornado that forms in a downward direction over a body of water, typically during a severe thunderstorm and often accompanied by high winds, dangerous water turbulence, and large hail: although tornadic waterspouts tend to dissipate rapidly upon landfall, they may occasionally move inland.
noun
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meteorol
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a tornado occurring over water that forms a column of water and mist extending between the surface and the clouds above
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a sudden downpour of heavy rain
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a pipe or channel through which water is discharged, esp one used for drainage from the gutters of a roof
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of waterspout
First recorded in 1350–1400 and in 1730–40 waterspout for defs. 3, 4; Middle English; see water, spout
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
That rain and gusty winds also could bring small hail and the possibility of a waterspout or small tornado, according to the weather service.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 10, 2026
In Orange County, a possible tornado or waterspout moved ashore around 10:15 p.m.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 21, 2025
Bad weather is one thing, but a waterspout is something else entirely.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2024
Some have speculated that a waterspout flying over the Bayesian could have been "popped" by the mast, dumping a huge amount of water onto the boat - and sinking it rapidly.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2024
Hello Jameson and Angela, The itsy-bitsy spider climbed up the waterspout.
From "Burning Blue" by Paul Griffin
Holding it down causes waterspouts to spin up all around you, dancing on their tails, merging and splitting—the immersiveness comes courtesy of a speaker in the driver’s headrest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 24, 2025
Sometimes they form on land, or they begin as waterspouts — a tornado over the ocean — and move onto land.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 14, 2025
Besides the risk for debris flow, there is a potential for waterspouts over the ocean, as well as damaging winds, and strong thunderstorms, Lund said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 26, 2025
According to the International Centre for Waterspout Research, there were 18 confirmed waterspouts off the coast of Italy on 19 August alone.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2024
If one of these waterspouts hits the ship, the weight of the water could smash the deck & it will be all over.
From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
