tornado: Meaning and Definition of

tor•na•do

Pronunciation: (tôr-nā'dō), [key]
— pl. -does, -dos.
  1. a localized, violently destructive windstorm occurring over land, esp. in the Middle West, and characterized by a long, funnel-shaped cloud extending toward the ground and made visible by condensation and debris. Cf. waterspout (def. 3).
  2. a violent squall or whirlwind of small extent, as one of those occurring during the summer on the west coast of Africa.
  3. a violent outburst, as of emotion or activity.
  4. (cap.) a supersonic, two-seat, multipurpose military aircraft produced jointly by West Germany, Britain, and Italy and capable of flying in darkness and bad weather.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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