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cyclone

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The definition of a cyclone is a violent rotating windstorm.

(noun)

An example of cyclone is a tornado.

See cyclone in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

loosely a windstorm with a violent, whirling movement; tornado or hurricane
Meteorol. a system of rotating winds over a vast area, spinning inward to a low pressure center (counterclockwise in the N Hemisphere) and generally causing stormy weather: commonly called a low, since it coexists with low barometric pressure

Origin: altered < cyclome (< Gr kyklōma, wheel), infl. by Gr kyklōn, moving in a circle < kykloein, to circle around, whirl < kyklos: see wheel

Related Forms:

cyclonic adjective
cyclonically adverb

See cyclone in American Heritage Dictionary 4

cy·clone

noun

Meteorology
a. An atmospheric system characterized by the rapid inward circulation of air masses about a low-pressure center, usually accompanied by stormy, often destructive weather. Cyclones circulate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
b. A violent tropical storm, especially one originating in the southwestern Pacific Ocean or Indian Ocean.
A violent rotating windstorm.
Any of various devices using centrifugal force to separate materials.

Origin: From Greek kuklōn, present participle of kukloun, to rotate, from kuklos, circle; see k^wel-¹ in Indo-European roots.

Related Forms: