turbulence

[ tur-byuh-luhns ]
See synonyms for turbulence on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the quality or state of being turbulent; violent disorder or commotion.

  2. Hydraulics. the haphazard secondary motion caused by eddies within a moving fluid.

  1. Meteorology. irregular motion of the atmosphere, as that indicated by gusts and lulls in the wind.

Origin of turbulence

1
From the Late Latin word turbulentia, dating back to 1590–1600. See turbulent, -ence
  • Sometimes tur·bu·len·cy .

Words Nearby turbulence

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use turbulence in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for turbulence

turbulence

rarely turbulency (ˈtɜːbjʊˌlənsɪ)

/ (ˈtɜːbjʊləns) /


noun
  1. a state or condition of confusion, movement, or agitation; disorder

  2. meteorol local instability in the atmosphere, oceans, or rivers

  1. turbulent flow in a liquid or gas

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for turbulence

turbulence

[ tûrbyə-ləns ]


  1. Chaotic or unstable eddying motion in a fluid. Avoiding excessive turbulence generated around moving objects (such as airplanes), which can make their motion inefficient and difficult to control, is a major factor in aerodynamic design.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.