hurricane
HER-uh-kayn
/ˈhʌrɪkən/
A severe tropical cyclone with winds exceeding 74 mph, occurring specifically in the North Atlantic, Central North Pacific, or Eastern North Pacific.
Refers strictly to violent tropical storms originating in the Atlantic or eastern Pacific oceans; distinct in location from typhoons.
The story behind the word. Spanish explorers in the Caribbean adopted the Taino word 'hurakán', which named a fierce deity of wind and storm. The word passed into Spanish as 'huracán' before entering English in the 16th century.
Word relationships
- tropical cyclone: Tropical cyclone is the umbrella scientific term regardless of ocean basin.
- calm: Calm denotes complete absence of wind or atmospheric disturbance.
Commonly confused with
- typhoon: Hurricanes occur in the Atlantic/Eastern Pacific, whereas typhoons occur in the Northwest Pacific.
Word family
- hurricanelike (adjective): Resembling or characteristic of a hurricane.
Collocations
- hurricane force
- category 5 hurricane
- hurricane warning
- eye of the hurricane
Idioms & expressions
- eye of the hurricane
Example sentences
- "The hurricane swept across the coast, bringing torrential rain and destroying coastal Infrastructure." Historical weather event
Memory hook
Think of a HURRYing CANE blowing wildly down the beach during a massive storm. Caribbean storm god's fury.
When not to use
Do not use for rotating tropical storms in the Indian Ocean or Western Pacific, nor for non-rotating wind bursts.
Fun facts
- The center of a hurricane, called the eye, is famously calm with clear skies and low wind speeds.
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