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View synonyms for dust devil

dust devil

[ duhst dev-uhl ]

noun

, Meteorology.
  1. a well-developed dust whirl with a diameter of about 10–100 feet (3–30 meters), rotating either clockwise or counterclockwise, common in dry regions on hot, calm afternoons and made visible by the dust, debris, and sand it picks up from the ground: dust devils on average are about 660 feet (200 meters) tall, but some have exceeded a height of 3,280 feet (1 kilometer):

    We noticed the base of the dust devil following a direct path along the ground, but its uppermost portion was meandering wildly.

dust devil

noun

  1. a strong miniature whirlwind that whips up dust, litter, leaves, etc into the air

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Word History and Origins

Origin of dust devil1

First recorded in 1890–95

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