dust devil

noun

: a small whirlwind containing sand or dust

Examples of dust devil in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
These are very similar to how dust devils form on land. Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 20 May 2026 To manage this risk, the Ingenuity team strictly capped rotational speeds at 2,700 rpm and maintained a safety buffer to avoid the unpredictable physics of the sound barrier and potential turbulence from Martian dust devils. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 May 2026 There’s a sprawling cattle ranch nearby, and a dust devil moves in the distance. Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 6 May 2026 All that has shaped him — people, cultures, histories, dust devils, and panoramic desert vistas — is inseparable from his lyrics and his sounds. Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 5 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dust devil

Word History

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dust devil was in 1888

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Cite this Entry

“Dust devil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dust%20devil. Accessed 31 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

dust devil

noun
: a small whirlwind containing sand or dust

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