hurricane
HER-ih-kayn
/ˈhɜːrɪkeɪn/
A severe tropical cyclone with winds of 74 mph or greater, originating in the North Atlantic or Eastern Pacific.
Geographically specific term for tropical cyclones in the Atlantic/Northeast Pacific basin.
The story behind the word. Carried into European languages via Spanish huracán, which was borrowed from the Indigenous Caribbean Taíno god of storms, Hurakán. Spanish explorers encountered these devastating Caribbean storms in the 16th century and adopted the deity's name.
Word relationships
- cyclone: Cyclone is a general term for rotating storm systems, specifically used in the Indian Ocean.
- typhoon: Typhoon is the exact meteorologic equivalent of a hurricane, occurring in the Northwest Pacific.
- calm: A state of tranquility without wind or storm disturbance.
Commonly confused with
- tornado: A tornado is a narrow, rotating column of air over land, while a hurricane is a massive ocean-born storm system.
Collocations
- category five hurricane
- hurricane force
- hurricane eye
- hurricane tracking
Idioms & expressions
- eye of the hurricane
Example sentences
- "Ten feet higher and as wide as the horizon the wall of water was coming. They had to fight the hurricane." Literary account of storm surge
- "Residents along the coast boarded up windows in preparation for the category four hurricane." Meteorological warning
Memory hook
Hurry-cane: Hurry away before the wind strikes you like a cane! Storm named after storm god.
When not to use
Do not call severe storms in the Western Pacific 'hurricanes'; those are typhoons.
Fun facts
- A single hurricane releases energy equivalent to 10,000 nuclear bombs during its life cycle.
Related words
Also appears in
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