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

Biden visited the Bluegrass State alongside Beshear multiple times during his four years in office, including after the December 2021 tornadoes in Western Kentucky and the 2022 floods in Eastern Kentucky. —Lucas Aulbach, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Oct. 2025

Tiny tornadoes of dust whirl across Mars's rusty plains far faster than scientists thought, a new study reveals. —Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2025

During this simulated event, smaller, tornado-like spirals of plasma and magnetic field, called flux ropes, formed. —Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 6 Oct. 2025

The tornado that ended the 12-year gap actually hit back in June, but new damage analysis has upgraded a deadly twister initially categorized as an EF3 near Enderlin, North Dakota. —Doyle Rice, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025

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

Rhymes for tornado

• afterglow
• akimbo
• albino
• aliquot
• allegro
• amigo
• apropos
• audio
• bungalow
• calico
• calypso
• cameo

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