tornado

noun

tor·​na·​do tȯr-ˈnā-(ˌ)dō 

plural tornadoes or tornados

1

a

: a violent destructive whirling wind accompanied by a funnel-shaped cloud that progresses in a narrow path over the land

b

: a squall accompanying a thunderstorm in Africa

2

: a violent windstorm : whirlwind

3

archaic : a tropical thunderstorm

Examples of tornado in a Sentence

in the path of a tornado

Recent Examples on the Web

Vegetable Oil: Since the potato tornadoes are baked in high heat, choose a cooking oil with a high smoke point. —Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 June 2024

This spring produced the second-most tornadoes to-date since records began in 1950, according to the Storm Prediction Center. —Ella Nilsen, CNN, 10 June 2024

Weather: The violent 95-mph tornado that blew through Livonia on Wednesday, killing a 2-year-old and putting his mother in the hospital, touched down so quickly and without clear radar indication that the National Weather Service did not issue a warning for it, the federal agency said. —Leah Olajide, Detroit Free Press, 7 June 2024

And how did Parra, who has lived in Texas for 31 years but never experienced a tornado, know what to do? —Susan Young, Peoplemag, 2 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

modification of Spanish tronada thunderstorm, from tronar to thunder, from Latin tonare — more at thunder entry 1

First Known Use

1556, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Kids Definition

tornado

noun

tor·​na·​do tȯr-ˈnād-ō 

plural tornadoes or tornados

: a violent destructive whirling wind accompanied by a funnel-shaped cloud that moves in a narrow path over the land