waterspout

noun

wa·​ter·​spout ˈwȯ-tər-ˌspau̇t 

ˈwä-

1

: a pipe, duct, or orifice from which water is spouted or through which it is carried

2

: a funnel-shaped or tubular column of rotating cloud-filled wind usually extending from the underside of a cumulus or cumulonimbus cloud down to a cloud of spray torn up by the whirling winds from the surface of an ocean or lake

Synonyms of waterspout

• gutter

Examples of waterspout in a Sentence

the waterspout became clogged, and then the roof leaked

Recent Examples on the Web

The rain and gusty winds also could bring small hail and the possibility of a waterspout or small tornado, according to the weather service. —Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026

Beach conditions will be hazardous with big waves and even a chance of a waterspout or coastal tornado along the cold front. —Anthony Edwards, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Apr. 2026

For families The resort is family-friendly, with a selection of daily children’s activities at the kids’ club and a separate splash pad pool area with a waterslide, shooting waterspouts, treehouse and more. —Lizbeth Scordo, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Jan. 2026

Lowell also recounts witnessing a mass wedding in the South Pacific, after which the couples publicly consummated their marriages, and claims to have watched her father save their ship from a waterspout by shooting it with a rifle. —Michael Waters, New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for waterspout

• roundabout
• runabout
• sauerkraut
• thereabout
• turnabout
• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout

Kids Definition

waterspout

noun

wa·​ter·​spout ˈwȯt-ər-ˌspau̇t 

ˈwät-

1

: a pipe for carrying off water from a roof

2

: a column of rotating wind extending from a cloud down to a cloud of spray torn up from the surface of a body of water by the winds