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.
The winds on that ranch in California were so strong that towering dust devils were dancing between the disaffected cattle during my visit. Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 8 Apr. 2025 One previous clip saw a dust devil lifting a portable toilet up into the air. John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Apr. 2025 Look for two other obvious dust devils in the background. Amanda Kooser, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025 What to know about Blue Origin after celebrity spaceflight NASA's Perseverance rover captures 'fiendish' dueling dust devils on Mars: See video What causes the Lyrid meteors? Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025 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. 2025.

Kids Definition

dust devil

noun
: a small whirlwind containing sand or dust

More from Merriam-Webster on dust devil

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