cyclone
English

Cyclone Catarina, 2004.
Etymology
Coined by Henry Piddington, probably in the 1840s, and based on some term in Ancient Greek. Sources disagree on the date and on which Ancient Greek term, though it had to be something derived from either κύκλος (kúklos, “circle, wheel”) or κυκλόω (kuklóō, “go around in a circle, form a circle, encircle”), for example the present active participle κυκλῶν (kuklôn).
Pronunciation
- (US) IPA(key): /ˈsaɪ.kloʊn/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈsaɪ.kləʊn/
Audio (US) (file)
Noun
cyclone (plural cyclones)
- A system of winds rotating around a center of low atmospheric pressure.
- A low pressure system.
- (informal) The more or less violent, small-scale circulations such as tornadoes, waterspouts, and dust devils.
- A strong wind.
- A South Pacific and Indian Ocean weather phenomenon that results in wind speeds of around 150 to 200 km/h.
- A cyclone separator; the cylindrical vortex tube within such a separator
Quotations
- For quotations of use of this term, see Citations:cyclone.
Derived terms
Translations
rotating system of winds
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low pressure system
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more or less violent, small-scale circulations of air
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strong wind
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Southeastern and Indian Ocean weather phenomenon
cyclone separator — see cyclone separator
French
Etymology
From Ancient Greek κυκλῶν (kuklôn), present active participle of κυκλόω (kuklóō, “I encircle”), from κύκλος (kúklos, “circle”)
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /si.klon/
Audio (file)
Further reading
- “cyclone” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).
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