| a cyclone that originates over a tropical ocean area and can develop into the destructive storm known in the U.S. as a hurricane, in the western Pacific region as a typhoon, and elsewhere by other names. Compare extratropical cyclone, hurricane (def. 1), willy-willy. |
| tropical cyclone n. A violent storm originating over tropical or subtropical waters, characterized by violent rainstorms and high-velocity cyclonic winds. |
tropical cyclone  (trŏp'ĭ-kəl) Pronunciation Key
See under cyclone. |