Meanings
nounfunnel cloud (plural funnel clouds)
plural funnel clouds
- climatologyA tapering, rapidly rotating cloud descending from a larger storm cloud, indicating the presence of an intense vortex, which potentially becomes a tornado if it reaches the ground.
When we saw the funnel cloud, we headed for the basement.
Synonyms: cumulonimbus tuba
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA tapering, rapidly rotating cloud descending from a larger storm cloud, indicating the presence of an intense vortex, which potentially becomes a tornado if it reaches the ground.
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Also see
Translations
Finnish suppilopilvi
- suppilopilvitapering cloud
Italian nube ad imbuto
- nube ad imbutotapering cloud
Korean 깔때기구름
- 깔때기구름 (kkalttaegigureum)tapering cloud
Thai เมฆงวง
- เมฆงวง (mek nguang)tapering cloud
Cite this entry
APA
funnel cloud. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/funnel%20cloud
MLA
“funnel cloud.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/funnel%20cloud. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “funnel cloud,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/funnel%20cloud.
Source: funnel cloud on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.