— tornadic /tawr nad"ik, -nay"dik/ , adj. — tornadolike , adj.
/tawr nay"doh/ , n. , pl. tornadoes, tornados .
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. ) Mil. a supersonic, two-seat, multipurpose military aircraft produced jointly by West Germany, Britain, and Italy and capable of flying in darkness and bad weather.
[ 1550-60; appar. by metathesis tronada thunderstorm, n. use of fem. of tronado, ptp. of tronar tonare to thunder; r. 16th-century ternado, with unexplained e ]