-nt adjective
Etymology: Latin turbulentus tumultuous, stormy, turbulent, from turba confusion, tumult, crowd + -ulentus -ulent
1. : disposed or given to insubordination and disorder : causing great unrest : inciting violence or disturbance
their physical courage and prowess … were the talk of the less turbulent settlers — American Guide Series: Minnesota
the hot and turbulent feelings which boiled and surged in her — Virginia Woolf
2. : being in a state of violent commotion : characterized by great agitation or tumult : violently disturbed or agitated : stormy , tempestuous
a turbulent childhood filled with frustration and fears — Diseases of the Nervous System
the turbulent waters of party politics — Victor Lewis
the turbulent years of the revolutionary period
3. obsolete : causing or tending to cause turbulence : having a disturbing or exciting effect
whose heads that turbulent liquor fills with fumes — John Milton
4. : characterized by random fluctuations of velocity — see turbulent flow ; compare critical velocity