cyclone
SY-klohn
/ˈsaɪkloʊn/
A system of winds rotating inward to an area of low atmospheric pressure, or specifically a severe tropical storm in the South Pacific or Indian Ocean.
Can be a general meteorological term for low-pressure systems or the regional designation for tropical storms in the Indian Ocean.
The story behind the word. Coined in the 19th century by Henry Piddington, an official in Kolkata, from the Greek word for 'coiled like a serpent' or 'moving in a circle' to describe the swirling winds of Bay of Bengal storms.
Word relationships
- depression: Depression refers broadly to any low-pressure system, whereas cyclone implies pronounced rotation.
- anticyclone: An anticyclone is a high-pressure system with outward-spinning winds bringing fair weather.
Commonly confused with
- hurricane: Cyclones and hurricanes are the same phenomenon in different geographic ocean basins.
Word family
- cyclonic (adjective): Relating to or characteristic of a cyclone.
Collocations
- tropical cyclone
- cyclone warning
- cyclonic winds
Example sentences
- "The cyclone formed over the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, heading directly toward the coast." Meteorological analysis
Memory hook
CYClone CYCLes in a circle. Circling low-pressure storm.
When not to use
Avoid calling an Atlantic storm a cyclone in general conversation unless using technical low-pressure system terminology.
Fun facts
- Cyclones rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere due to the Coriolis force.
Explore more words
hurricane, tropical, meteorology, troposphere, tide, microclimate
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