English · Word Candidate

tornado

/tɔː(ɹ)ˈneɪ.dəʊ/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: tornadoes · tornados · tornadoing · tornadoed

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A violent wind in the form of a mobile, rapidly rotating, funnel cloud that has contacted the ground.

Noun

Examples

An extreme version of vorticity is a vortex. The vortex is a spinning, cyclonic mass of fluid, which can be observed in the rotation of water going down a drain, as well as in smoke rings, tornados and hurricanes.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

To sweep through something violently.

Verb

Examples

And so on Friday nights, James Torin tornadoed through six beers, a carton of cigarettes, a coffee table littered with lottery tickets, and unrequited dreams.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “tornado” mean?

A violent wind in the form of a mobile, rapidly rotating, funnel cloud that has contacted the ground.

Is “tornado” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.