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🌪️ A water tornado 🛠️ A drain pipe
waterspout

waterspout

1 6.5
A tube of water and air that spins over the sea or a lake
  • noun
  • /ˈwɔːtərˌspaʊt/
translation icon : tromba de agua
  • The captain warned us to steer clear of the waterspouts, as they could be very dangerous.
  • waterspouts or tornadoes
  • waterspout occurs over water

Some translations of it have it being a waterspout or in a water cyclone tied together with lightning.

Examples

  • We watched in awe as a large waterspout formed and vanished within minutes off the coast.

  • "It was probably a waterspout," I suggested.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • "A waterspout is what I'd see," I said.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • Some translations of it have it being a waterspout or in a water cyclone tied together with lightning.

    Gregory B. Sadler - That Philosophy Guy

  • I've seen waterspouts taller and thicker than oak trees, and whirlpools that could suck in half a dozen ships.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • The storm created several waterspouts over the ocean, each twisting dramatically toward the sky.

Synonyms

whirlwind
vswaterspout
9 4.0

A strong spinning column of air that lifts dust and leaves

forms over water and includes water mist rather than debris
tourbillon
vswaterspout
  • Archaic
9.9

A fast spinning column of air that lifts dust or leaves

forms specifically over water and includes water mist

Surface Forms

waterspout singular
waterspouts plural

Morphology

waterspout = water + spout (semi-transparent) = water + spout

Formed from 'water' + 'spout' but the sense is a metaphorical/meteorological extension (a spout-like column over water) rather than a simple container or pipe.

Etymology

The word waterspout is also water + spout, and spout means 'to send out a stream'. So a waterspout at sea is a tall, spinning tube of water and air that looks like water forced out of a giant spout.