noun

hurricane

A powerful tropical storm with sustained winds of at least 74 miles per hour.

The hurricane brings fierce winds and heavy rain to shore.

Etymology

The storm name reached English through Spanish from a Caribbean Indigenous word. It retains that regional association with violent tropical storms.

More examples

  • Officials order an evacuation as the hurricane approaches.
  • The hurricane's sustained winds reach 90 miles per hour.
  • Coastal towns prepare for hurricanes before the season begins.

Forms

hurricane · hurricanes

Similar words

typhoon
Names the same storm type in the northwestern Pacific.
cyclone
Broader term for rotating storms, including hurricanes and typhoons.