1 Definition in the Yahoo! Kids Dictionary
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"KIDS HOME STUDY REFERENCE DICTIONARY HOME WORD: tornado

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tor·na·do  audio 
(tôr-nd)  See the pronunciation key 

NOUN:
pl. tor·na·does or tor·na·dos
  1. A rotating column of air ranging in width from a few yards to more than a mile and whirling at destructively high speeds, usually accompanied by a funnel-shaped downward extension of a cumulonimbus cloud.
  2. A violent thunderstorm in western Africa or nearby Atlantic waters.
  3. A whirlwind or hurricane.

ETYMOLOGY:
Alteration (perhaps influenced by Spanish tornar, to turn), of Spanish tronada, thunderstorm from tronar, to thunder, from Latin tonre; see (s)ten- in Indo-European roots

OTHER FORMS:
tor·nadic(Adjective)
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