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typhoon vs. cyclone

typhoon

[ tahy-foon ]
noun
  1. 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.
  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.

cyclone

[ sahy-klohn ]
noun
  1. a large-scale, atmospheric wind-and-pressure system characterized by low pressure at its center and by circular wind motion, counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
  2. (not in technical use) tornado (def. 1).
  3. a device for removing small or powdered solids from air, water, or other gases or liquids by centrifugal force.