waterspout

Meanings

Plural: waterspouts

Noun

• a tornado passing over water and picking up a column of water and mist
• a heavy rain
• a channel through which water is discharged (especially one used for drainage from the gutters of a roof)
• A whirlwind that forms over water, not associated with a mesocyclone of a thunderstorm (contrary to a true tornado).
• A true tornado that passes over a body of water.
• A plume of water rising from the surface of a body of water as the result of an explosion or impact.
• A channel through which water is discharged, especially from the gutters of a roof.

Synonyms

cataract, cloudburst, deluge, downpour, pelter, soaker, torrent

Related Words

fire whirl, gargoyle, landspout