tornado

Pronunciation: /tɔɹˈneɪ.doʊ/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a localized and violently destructive windstorm occurring over land characterized by a funnel-shaped cloud extending toward the ground
  2. noun a purified and potent form of cocaine that is smoked rather than snorted; highly addictive

Etymology

From earlier English ternado, attested since the 1550s as a nautical term for a windy thunderstorm. From Spanish tronada (“thunderstorm”), from tronar (“to thunder”), from Latin tonō (“to thunder”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tenh₂- (“to thunder”). The o and r were reversed in English (metathesis) under influence of Spanish tornar (“to twist, to turn”), from Latin tornō (“to turn”).

In classic literature

Synonyms

twister

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
cyclone
Narrower (hyponyms)
waterspout, supertwister

A single word — an entire dictionary opens.

Type a word, a sentence, a book title, or a link to an English article. WordNet and the Classics answer.

Try

A library of classics · a vault of words · instant etymology & meaning

Continue reading

Nice save! Solidify it with review →