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View synonyms for typhoon

typhoon

[ tahy-foon ]

noun

  1. Meteorology. a tropical cyclone in the western Pacific Ocean or northern Indian Ocean, having sustained winds of at least 64 knots (74 miles per hour, 33 meters per second): typhoons form in waters with surface temperatures of about 80°F (27°C), intensifying as temperatures rise. Compare hurricane ( def 1 ).
  2. Typhoon, Military.
    1. a single-engine British ground attack aircraft of World War II.
    2. NATO's name for a class of nuclear-powered Soviet ballistic missile submarine carrying 20 multiwarhead missiles.


typhoon

/ taɪˈfɒnɪk; taɪˈfuːn /

noun

  1. a violent tropical storm or cyclone, esp in the China seas and W Pacific
  2. a violent storm of India


typhoon

/ tī-fo̅o̅n /

  1. A violent cyclonic storm occurring in the western Pacific Ocean.
  2. See Note at cyclone


typhoon

  1. In meteorology , a type of cyclone occurring in the western regions of the Pacific Ocean .


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Notes

A typhoon is similar to a hurricane in levels of destructiveness.

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Derived Forms

  • typhonic, adjective

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Other Words From

  • ty·phon·ic [tahy-, fon, -ik], adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of typhoon1

First recorded in 1580–90; alteration (influenced by Greek tȳphôn “violent wind, whirlwind”) of earlier touffon, tufan, from Arabic ṭūfān “hurricane, deluge” (perhaps from Greek tȳphôn ), from dialectal Chinese (Guangdong) taaî fung, equivalent to Chinese dàfēng “great wind”

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Word History and Origins

Origin of typhoon1

C16: from Chinese tai fung great wind, from tai great + fung wind; influenced by Greek tuphōn whirlwind

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Compare Meanings

How does typhoon compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

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Example Sentences

Solar geoengineering could substantially offset global temperature rise and potentially offset serious secondary impacts, such as reduction in crop yields and increased frequency and intensity of hurricanes and typhoons.

There are people just like you out there in other worlds who have won the lottery, or have been swept up into the clouds by a freak typhoon, or have spontaneously ignited, or have done all three simultaneously.

It makes sense for the island nation, which is particularly prone to some of the world’s worst climate disasters, from tsunamis to typhoons.

From Ozy

Since Hong Kong is in a typhoon zone, the bridge was built to withstand wind speeds up to 212 miles per hour.

In the Philippines case, claims payments to farmers and homeowners arrived electronically in advance of the typhoon, enabling them to flee to safety and protect their assets before the storm hit.

From Fortune

He was, in fact, the very first person to text me after he heard of the devastating typhoon that hit the Philippines.

Super typhoon Haiyan was a boon to global warming enthusiasts.

You can feel compassion for the victim of discrimination or the victim of Typhoon Haiyan or for a drug addict.

The night before super typhoon hit I myself was driving pregnant women and mothers with children to the shelters.

The men stayed behind in Candahug while the women escaped to higher ground when Typhoon Haiyan moved in.

Ang bagyu mauy nakapugdul (nakapapugdul) sa lubi, The typhoon ripped the tops off the coconut trees.

The rain was pouring down in sheets, the typhoon was raging furiously, and it seemed a most auspicious time for the attack.

The heavy typhoon soon begins to howl and to turn in a circle for two or three days.

Filippa inquired: “Why is such a circular storm of the Oriental tropics, called a typhoon?”

Blown off my course in a typhoon at night and went smash into this reef ye see here.

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Related Words

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Typhoon Vs. Hurricane Vs. Cyclone

What’s the difference between a typhoon, a hurricane, and a cyclone?

Typhoon, hurricane, and cyclone are all terms for big storms.

Although the word cyclone is often used to refer to a big storm, it is, technically speaking, a large-scale, atmospheric wind-and-pressure system characterized by low pressure at its center and by circular wind motion. Because these generally produce clouds and precipitation, cyclones are often simply referred to as storms. When such storms form around the tropics, they are called tropical cyclones. Tropical cyclones are classified based on their strength. They may start as tropical depressions and progress to tropical storms. The most severe tropical cyclones—those with winds of 74 mph (119 k/mh) or more—are called hurricanes or typhoons. Which term is used depends on where the storm occurs.

Generally, storms that form over the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico are called hurricanes, while those that form over the Pacific Ocean are called typhoons. (The word hurricane is sometimes used for storms that form over the eastern or central North Pacific Ocean.)

Cyclones rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

In casual use, the word cyclone is sometimes used to refer to a tornado (but it is not used this way in scientific contexts).

Here’s an example of typhoon, hurricane, and cyclone used correctly in a sentence.

Example: There have been many devastating cyclones this season, including a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico and multiple typhoons in the Pacific.

Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between typhoons, hurricanes, and cyclones.

Quiz yourself on typhoon vs. hurricane vs. cyclone!

Should typhoon, hurricane, or cyclone be used in the following sentence?

Meteorologists are tracking a _____ that has formed in the Atlantic Ocean with winds exceeding 100 mph.

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