typhoon

noun

ty·​phoon tī-ˈfün How to pronounce typhoon (audio)
1
: a hurricane occurring especially in the region of the Philippines or the China sea
2
: whirlwind sense 2a
a typhoon of activity

Examples of typhoon 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.
Built to be lightweight and efficient, they are exposed to a variety of natural hazards, including underwater volcanic eruptions, typhoons and floods. John Calabrese, The Conversation, 10 Apr. 2025 In addition, there are separate lists for typhoons in the western Pacific and tropical cyclones in Australia and the Indian Ocean. Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2025 In recent years, a combination of bad weather, heatwaves and the threats of typhoons and earthquakes have sparked bouts of panic-buying in the nation of 124 million people. Chris Lau, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2025 Last year, the 112-year-old Alishan Forest Railway reopened following 15 years of delays and repairs after typhoons and landslides severed this scenic 44-mile journey that starts out in the southern city of Chiayi and takes passengers high into Taiwan’s verdant mountain ranges. Jeremy Engle, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for typhoon

Word History

Etymology

alteration (influenced by Chin — Guangdong — daaih-fùng, from daaih big + fùng wind) of earlier touffon, from Arabic ṭūfān hurricane, from Greek typhōn violent storm

First Known Use

1771, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of typhoon was in 1771

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Cite this Entry

“Typhoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/typhoon. Accessed 3 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

typhoon

noun
ty·​phoon tī-ˈfün How to pronounce typhoon (audio)
: a hurricane occurring in the region of the Philippines or the China Sea

More from Merriam-Webster on typhoon

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