tornado
0 antonyms and opposites of tornado, grouped by meaning.
Noun — A violently spinning column of air that reaches down from a storm cloud to touch the ground, capable of destroying almost everything in its path.
How to use tornado
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
Traced back to 1550s nautical English "ternado," itself from Spanish tronada ("thunderstorm"), from tronar ("to thunder"), ultimately from Latin tonare. The letters got swapped around (a process called metathesis) under the influence of the similar Spanish word tornar, "to turn."
Full origin of tornado →Frequently asked questions
What does “tornado” mean?
The word “tornado” means a violently spinning column of air that reaches down from a storm cloud to touch the ground, capable of destroying almost everything in its path. In plain terms, a violent, rotating funnel of wind that drops from a storm and can flatten buildings.
How do you pronounce “tornado”?
“Tornado” is pronounced taw-NAY-doh (/tɔɹˈneɪ.doʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “tornado” in a sentence?
Here is “tornado” used in a sentence: “The tornado tore the roof off the barn in seconds.”
What part of speech is “tornado”?
“Tornado” is a noun.
Where does the word “tornado” come from?
The word “tornado” dates back to around 1550 and comes from Latin.
Is “tornado” a common word?
“Tornado” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between a tornado and a hurricane?
A tornado is a violently spinning column of air that reaches down from a storm cloud to touch the ground, typically affecting a narrow, short-lived path on land. A hurricane is a much larger, longer-lasting rotating storm system that forms over warm ocean water and can spawn tornadoes as part of its broader weather system.
What is the difference between a tornado and a cyclone?
"Tornado" and "cyclone" are sometimes used loosely as synonyms in everyday speech, especially in parts of the US, but a cyclone more precisely refers to any large rotating storm system, while a tornado is specifically the smaller, ground-touching funnel that descends from a storm cloud.
What is the difference between a tornado and a funnel cloud?
A funnel cloud is a rotating column of air that has not yet reached the ground; once it touches down and begins destroying its path, it is classified as a tornado.