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

Intense thunderstorm lines can produce brief tornadoes and widespread significant wind damage. —Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 25 Dec. 2025

Is your emergency kit prepared in case of a tornado? —Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 25 Dec. 2025

Football fans needed time to accommodate themselves to Patrick Mahomes’s sidearm throws, as did the baseball fans who at first recoiled from Hideo Nomo’s tornado windup. —Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 25 Dec. 2025

It is expected to bring a higher risk of strong to severe thunderstorms and isolated tornadoes. —Kathryn Prociv, NBC news, 24 Dec. 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