typhoon

noun

ty·​phoon tī-ˈfün How to pronounce typhoon (audio)
1
: a hurricane occurring especially in the region of the Philippines or the China sea
2
: whirlwind sense 2a
a typhoon of activity

Examples of typhoon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest typhoons ever recorded, slammed the central city of Tacloban, killing more than 6,300 people. Reuters, NBC News, 15 Nov. 2024 Soaked by several days of rain, the by-product of a nearby typhoon, the Tokyo International Film Festival and its accompanying TIFFCOM industry event might have been forgiven for being a little soggy. Patrick Frater, Variety, 3 Nov. 2024 Helene’s devastation comes as climate change exacerbates conditions that allow such storms to thrive, rapidly intensifying in warming waters and turning into powerful hurricanes and typhoons, sometimes in a matter of hours. Stephen Smith, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2024 The storm, which began as a typhoon, brought winds over 100 mph to the Washington coast and killed more than 50 people between Vancouver, B.C., and San Francisco, including nine in Washington. Christine Clarridge, Axios, 25 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for typhoon 

Word History

Etymology

alteration (influenced by Chin — Guangdong — daaih-fùng, from daaih big + fùng wind) of earlier touffon, from Arabic ṭūfān hurricane, from Greek typhōn violent storm

First Known Use

1771, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of typhoon was in 1771

Dictionary Entries Near typhoon

Cite this Entry

“Typhoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/typhoon. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

typhoon

noun
ty·​phoon tī-ˈfün How to pronounce typhoon (audio)
: a hurricane occurring in the region of the Philippines or the China Sea
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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