typhoon
ty-FOON
/taɪˈfuːn/
A mature tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere (Northwest Pacific Ocean).
Geographically specific regional term for a hurricane-equivalent storm in East and Southeast Asia.
The story behind the word. The term emerged from a fascinating convergence of Cantonese 'tai fung' (great wind) and Arabic/Greek 'typhon' (monster of whirlwinds), merging in maritime trade languages into 'typhoon'.
Word relationships
- tropical cyclone: Tropical cyclone is the general scientific category encompassing typhoons.
Commonly confused with
- hurricane: Typhoons occur in the Western Pacific; hurricanes occur in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific.
Word family
- typhonic (adjective): Pertaining to or resembling a typhoon.
Collocations
- super typhoon
- typhoon season
- typhoon warning
Example sentences
- "The powerful typhoon brought violent winds and torrential rains to coastal regions of Japan." International news dispatch
Memory hook
TYPHOON is a TIE-IN to East Asian tropical storms. Western Pacific tropical storm.
When not to use
Do not use for Atlantic or Indian Ocean storms.
Fun facts
- The West Pacific typhoon season runs year-round, unlike Atlantic hurricanes which have a distinct summer-autumn season.
Explore more words
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.