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

Our next step is to simulate how such tornado-like features in the solar wind may impact our planet and infrastructure. —JSTOR Daily, 24 Oct. 2025

In the first six months of 2025, the list of billion-dollar disasters is mostly comprised of severe thunderstorms and tornado outbreaks, reflecting the conspicuous absence of landfalling hurricanes so far this season. —Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025

This includes the risk of damaging winds, lightning and tornadoes. —Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 22 Oct. 2025

The public needed a generation to accept automobile seat belts and tornado shelters; new safety standards had to be met with changes in the culture. —Ingfei Chen, New Yorker, 22 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