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funnel cloud

American

noun

a rapidly rotating funnel-shaped cloud extending downward from the base of a cumulonimbus cloud, which, if it touches the surface of the earth, is a tornado or waterspout.

funnel cloud British

noun

a whirling column of cloud extending downwards from the base of a cumulonimbus cloud: part of a waterspout or tornado

"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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A funnel cloud differs from a tornado in that it doesn't touch the ground.

From BBC • Dec. 10, 2023

In early 2021, a Wikipedia editor peered into the future and saw what looked like a funnel cloud on the horizon: the rise of GPT-3, a precursor to the new chatbots from OpenAI.

From New York Times • Jul. 18, 2023

Jessyca Copas, her wife and father-in-law watched the funnel cloud as it moved behind a home across the street, the Indianapolis Star reported.

From Washington Times • Jun. 26, 2023

In Montebello, video on social media showed a dark funnel cloud and debris flying hundreds of feet into the air.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2023

As he swung his trident, the river responded, making a funnel cloud around the monster.

From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023