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.
Amid the authoritarian typhoon of Donald Trump’s first month in office, the Democratic Party is attempting to position itself as the front line of anti-MAGA resistance. Samantha Riedel, Them, 7 Feb. 2025 Continuously updated with data from 142 weather satellites and millions of sensors across the world, the company’s models produce forecasts in seconds rather than hours–critical in the case of fast-moving climate emergencies like typhoons. Tharin Pillay, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024 This year a typhoon and extreme heat dented the harvest, scrambling prices for kumquats and other ornamental plants associated with the holiday, known as Tet in Vietnam. Mike Ives, New York Times, 29 Jan. 2025 Hurricanes happen in the North Atlantic Ocean and the Northeast Pacific, typhoons occur in the South Pacific and the Indian Ocean, and cyclones take place in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, according to the U.S.’ National Ocean Service. Hannah Peart, NBC News, 16 Dec. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Typhoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/typhoon. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on typhoon

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