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 .

Notes

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

Derived Forms

• typhonic, adjective

Other Words From

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

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”

Word History and Origins

Origin of typhoon¹

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

Example Sentences

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

From The Daily Beast

Super typhoon Haiyan was a boon to global warming enthusiasts.

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• hurricane
• tropical cyclone
• tropical storm