# Hurricane



## panjabigator

Hurrican season began 12 days ago and Florida is already being attacked with a tropical storm!  What are the words for hurricanes in your languages?  

Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu:  Tufaan
But I feel that this word is used for a storm more....I don't really know what the actual word is.


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## jester.

I have added the translation for whirlwind, sometimes I'm not so certain about the differences between a typhoon, a hurricane, a cyclone, a tornado and all the others 

In German:

hurricane = der Hurrikan (same pronunciation as in English)
whirlwind = der Wirbelsturm

In Spanish:

hurricane = el huracán
whirlwind = el ciclón

In French

hurricane = le hurricane / l'ouragan (m.)
whirlwind = le cyclone


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## Etcetera

In Russian: ураган. 
There are also such words as тайфун, смерч, шторм (there's other words, I'm sure) - but ураган is the commonest, and this very word is used in relation to hurricanes like Katrina.


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## Honour

There are a lot of words in turkish 
in desecending order from the strongest to the weakest.
tufan, kasırga, fırtına and sometimes bora.


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## Knuð

In Norwegian:

Orkan


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## panjabigator

Etcetera, can you transliterate that into the latin script...I havent learned Cyrillic yet


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## diegodbs

> In Russian: ураган.
> There are also such words as тайфун, смерч, шторм (there's other words, I'm sure) - but ураган is the commonest, and this very word is used in relation to hurricanes like Katrina.


 
Uragan, tayfun, smerch, shtorm


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## linguist786

Punjabigator, you're right. Tufaan is used (most often) in Hindi. There is also another word though:

प्रभंजन = prabhanjan
तूफ़ान = tufaan
​


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## diegodbs

> In Spanish:
> 
> hurricane = el huracán
> whirlwind = el ciclón


 
Another word: tornado.


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## Etcetera

Diego, thank you. I'd transliterate тайфун as tajfun, though.


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## diegodbs

Thank you, Etcetera, for the correction.


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## Etcetera

And yes, the word tornado also exists in Russian, and it's even pronounced with stress on the same syllable. In Cyrillic it's spelt as торнадо.


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## Bienvenidos

Persian: túphon (storm)

*Bien*


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## panjabigator

Tornado is different.  It's like a whirlwind only much smaller...its hard to explain....perhaps wikipedia.com can help!


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## Maja

In Serbian (natural disasters  that we, fortunately, don't have):
hurricane - uragan (ураган)  
tornado - tornado (торнадо)
typhoon  - tajfun (тајфун)
cyclone -  ciklon (циклон)
tsunami- cunami (цунами)
volcano - vulkan (вулкан)

Those that we,  unfortunately, do have:
earthquake - zemljotres  (земљотрес)
storm - oluja (олуја).


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## Pivra

Thai: Hurricane... just like english...
tornado
typhoon 
cyclone 
tsunami
 all the same as in English


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## Tisia

Bienvenidos said:
			
		

> Persian: túphon (storm)
> *Bien*


 ....or *طوفان *(toufan), like in too fun

I guess in Kurdish it is the same as in Persian, at least some areas.

Finnish:
(hirmu)myrsky/hurrikaani

Tisia


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## Andrutzu

In Romanian:

hurricane - uragan 
tornado - tornadă
typhoon - taifun 

bye!


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## Mutichou

j3st3r said:
			
		

> In French
> 
> hurricane = le hurricane / l'ouragan (m.)
> whirlwind = le cyclone


As far as I know, "hurricane" isn't a French word.


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## Mei

In catalan:

huracà: hurricane
tornat: tornado
cicló: cyclone

Mei


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## Knuð

Maja said:
			
		

> In Serbian (natural disasters  that we, fortunately, don't have):
> hurricane - uragan (ураган)
> tornado - tornado (торнадо)
> typhoon  - tajfun (тајфун)
> cyclone -  ciklon (циклон)
> tsunami- cunami (цунами)
> volcano - vulkan (вулкан)
> 
> Those that we,  unfortunately, do have:
> earthquake - zemljotres  (земљотрес)
> storm - oluja (олуја).


In Norwegian these (and a few more) would be:

hurricane - orkan
tornado - tornado
typhoon - tyfon
cyclone - syklon
tsunami - tsunami
flood wave - flodbølge
volcano - vulkan
volcanic eruption - vulkanutbrudd
storm - storm


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## betulina

Mei said:
			
		

> In catalan:
> 
> tornat: tornado



Sorry, Mei, but in Catalan _tornado_ is tornado.  Thank you!


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## Henryk

> In German:
> 
> hurricane = der Hurrikan (same pronunciation as in English)
> whirlwind = der Wirbelsturm


It's wrong that "Hurrikan" is pronounced like "hurricane".


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## jester.

Henryk said:
			
		

> It's wrong that "Hurrikan" is pronounced like "hurricane".



But how is it pronounced, according to you?

Maybe the English and German pronunciation aren't totally equal, but to my ears, it's not a proper German pronunciation.


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## robbie_SWE

Hi! 

In Swedish: 

_hurricane_ = *orkan*
_tornado_ = *"tornado"* (loan word, quite common), *tromb* (a bit less violent) 
_typhoon_ = *tyfon*
_cyclone_ *cyklon*
_tsunami_ = *tsunami *
_volcano_ = *vulkan*

Jepp, Swedish is quite boring when it comes to these words. I think the reason is because these natural disasters never occur here in Scandinavia.


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## Knuð

robbie_SWE said:
			
		

> Jepp, Swedish is quite boring when it comes to these words. I think the reason is because these natural disasters never occur here in Scandinavia.


We do get earthquakes and storms, though.


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## robbie_SWE

Knuð said:
			
		

> We do get earthquakes and storms, though.


 
You're completely correct! We do have storms and maybe (here in Sweden they're very rare) earthquakes. Who will ever forget last year's "GUDRUN", the strongest storm or hurricane in 60 years (!).


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## cherine

In Arabic, the word toufan طوفان is a deluge (like that of Noe), or a flood (like a river's flooding).
A hurricane is an *i3saar* (i'saar) إعصار


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## panjabigator

I wonder if Typhoon and Tufaan are related...


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## Bienvenidos

Tisia said:
			
		

> ....or *طوفان *(toufan), like in too fun
> 
> I guess in Kurdish it is the same as in Persian, at least some areas.
> 
> Finnish:
> (hirmu)myrsky/hurrikaani
> 
> Tisia


Hehe, Tisia, you know me and trying to romanize text.  Just doesn't work out all the time! 

Sometimes toufana aren't too fun 

Great pun   Thanks for sharing  

*Bien*


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## Henryk

j3st3r said:
			
		

> But how is it pronounced, according to you?
> 
> Maybe the English and German pronunciation aren't totally equal, but to my ears, it's not a proper German pronunciation.


I've often heard it pronounced exactly the way it is written in German. But you're right, it sounds kind of strange when you hear it the first time.

Why should it be pronounced like the English word? I see no point in that.


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## Whodunit

Henryk said:
			
		

> I've often heard it pronounced exactly the way it is written in German. But you're right, it sounds kind of strange when you hear it the first time.
> 
> Why should it be pronounced like the English word? I see no point in that.


 
Because first "hurrikaan" sounds strange if you pronounce it the German way, and second we just copied the English word except for the ending (but you're right that I see no point in why we shouldn't spell it Hurricane in German either.)

The same thing happened to "recyclen" (to recycle). It's a Germlish word with both an English and a German (many Germans use the German guttural r) pronunciation.


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## Outsider

In Portuguese:

hurricane - *furacão*
tornado - *tornado*
typhoon - *tufão*
cyclone - *ciclone*
tsunami - *maremoto*
storm - *tempestade, tormenta*


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## YoshiYuki

Ahh I did not see the word in japanese ! I'll put it down then : 

颱風 -> たいふう -> Taifuu. As in Thai food, but without the 'd' phonem ^^ It means Typhoon.
颶風 -> ぐふう -> Gufuu. As in goofy, but with 'Fu' at its end. It means Hurricane, small typhoon, quite large storm...

Hoooow precise it is, isn't it ? ^__^


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## avalon2004

_Modern Greek-_
Hurricane - *ο τυφώνας *(teefónas) or *η λαίλαπα* (lélapa)
Tornado - *ο ανεμοστρόβιλος* (anemostróvilos) or *ο σίφουνας *(sífoonas)
Typhoon  - Same as hurricane
Cyclone -* ο κυκλώνας* (keeklónas)
Tsunami- I think it is just *μεγάλο κύμα* (meghálo kíma), i.e. 'big wave'
Volcano - *το ηφαίστειο* (eeféstio)


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## parakseno

Andrutzu said:
			
		

> In Romanian:
> hurricane - uragan
> tornado - tornadă
> typhoon - taifun



Also there are:
storm - furtună
flood - inundaţie
deluge - potop
tidal wave - val mareic
cyclone - ciclon


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## misdirection

In Filipino:
Hurricane, Typhoon, and Storm = bagyo


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## Angel.Aura

In Italian:

hurricane - uragano
tornado - tornado
typhoon - tifone
cyclone - ciclone
tsunami - tsunami
volcano - vulcano
volcanic eruption - eruzione vulcanica
storm - tempesta


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## Nizo

In *Esperanto*:

hurricane - _uragano 
_tornado – _tornado _
typhoon - _tajfuno_
whirlwind – _kirlovento, ventokirlo_
cyclone - _ciklono_
tsunami- _cunamo_volcano - _vulkano_earthquake – _seismo, tertremo_storm - _ŝtormo_


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## deine

Lithuanian:

hurricane - uraganas 
tornado - tornadas
typhoon - taifūnas


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## cajzl

Czech, Hungarian: *orkán*

German: Hurrikan  *Orkan* * *

Chinese: 颶風

BTW, you can find it in Wikipaedia - see the Beaufort scale (Beaufort number 12).


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## Hakro

*Finnish:*

 hurricane - hurrikaani; orkaani
 tornado - tornado
 typhoon - taifuuni
 cyclone - sykloni
 whirlwind – pyörremyrsky; trombi
 storm - myrsky

Hurricanes, tornados, typhoons and cyclones are also called by a common name _hirmumyrsky_ ("terrible storm").


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## apmoy70

Greek:

Hurricane:
(I) *«Τροπικός κυκλώνας»* [tropiˈkos ciˈklonas] (both masc.) --> _tropical cyclone_
(II) *«Τυφώνας»* [tiˈfonas] (masc.) < Classical masc. *«Τυφῶν» Tūpʰôn* (nom. sing.), *«Τυφῶνος» Tūpʰônŏs* (gen. sing.) --> _(myth.) the most feared of all the monsters, half man-half dragon_, later, _a violent tropical storm_ (not to be confused with "typhoon"). Of unknown etymology.
(I) is technical, (II) is in common usage.

Tornado:
(A) *«Ανεμοστρόβιλος»* [anemoˈstrovilos] (masc.) --> lit. _whirlwind_ < Byz.Gr. masc. *«ἀνεμοστρόβιλος» anemostróbilos* (idem) < Classical masc. noun *«ἄνεμος» ắnĕmŏs* --> _wind_ (PIE *h₂enh₁-mo- _wind_ cf Skt. अनिल (anila), _wind, air_, Lat. animus, Arm. հողմ (hołm), _wind_) + Classical deverbative masc. noun *«στρόβιλος» stróbilŏs* & *«στρόβος» stróbŏs* --> _spinning-top, whirling round, whirling dance, pirouette, winch, rotating shaft_ < Classical v. *«στρέφω» strépʰō* --> _to twist, turn_ (of unknown etymology with no IE cognates).
(B) *«Σίφουνας»* [ˈsifunas] (masc.) < Classical 3rd declension masc. noun *«σίφων» sípʰōn* (nom. sing.), *«σίφωνος» sípʰōnŏs* --> _tube, pipe, pump, fire-engine, water-spout_ (of unclear etymology).
(C) *«Ανεμορούφουλας»* [anemoˈɾufulas] (masc.) < Classical masc. noun *«ἄνεμος» ắnĕmŏs* (see A) + ΜοGr deverbative masc. *«ρούφουλας»* [ˈɾufulas] --> _someone who sucks liquid/water, whirlpool_ < MoGr v. *«ρουφάω/ρουφώ»* [ɾuˈfa.o] (uncontracted)/[ɾuˈfo] (contracted) --> _to suck liquid, slurp, gulp, sip_ < Classical v. *«ῥοφέω/ῥοφῶ» rʰŏpʰéō* (uncontracted)/*rʰŏpʰô* (contracted) --> _to slurp, gulp, sip_ (PIE *s(e)rbʰ- _to slurp_ cf Lat. sorbēre, Proto-Slavic *srьbati > Rus. сёрбать, _to slurp_, OCS сръбати, Pol. sarbać).
(A) is the most common word, (B) is colloquial, (C) is rustic.

Typhoon:
*«Τυφώνας»* [tiˈfonas] (masc.) see II. We do not differentiate between the cyclones in the Atlantic (hurricane) and the Pacific (typhoon) oceans.

Cyclone:
*«Κυκλώνας»* [ciˈklonas] (masc.), a modern technical word (1887) < Classical masc. Present tense participle *«κυκλῶν» kŭklôn* --> _encircler, surrounder_ < Classical denominative v. *«κυκλόω/κυκλῶ» kŭklóō* (uncontracted)/*kŭklô* (contracted) --> _to make circular, surround_ < Classical masc. noun *«κύκλος» kúklŏs* --> _circle, ring, wheel_, also metaph. _all circular objects_ (PIE *kʷe-kʷl-o- _wheel, circle_ old name of the wheel, preserved in several IE languages e.g. Skt. चक्र (cakra), Av. caxra-, ToA kukäl/ToB kokale, _wagon_).

Tsunami:
*«Τσουνάμι»* [ʦ͡uˈnami] (neut.) < Eng. tsunami.

Volcano:
*«Ηφαίστειο»* [iˈfesti.o] (neut.), a modern word (1812) calqued for the Fr. volcan, a derivative of the ancient god of fire *«Ἥφαιστος» Hépʰai̯stŏs*; per Beekes it's a Pre-Greek theonym. Its root can be found in names of places of Pre-Greek origin, like the Cretan city of *«Φαιστός» Pʰai̯stós*.

Earthquake:
(1) *«Σεισμός»* [sizˈmos] (masc.) < Classical deverbative masc. noun *«σεισμός» sei̯smós* --> _earthquake, shock, extortion_ < Classical v. *«σείω» seí̯ō* --> _to shake, agitate, sway_ (PIE *tuei(s)- _to excite, sparkle_ cf Skt. त्वेषति (tveṣati), _to be violently agitated_, Av. θβiiā, _fright, danger_).
(2) *«Εγκέλαδος»* [eɲˈɟelaðos] (masc.) < Classical masc. *«Ἐγκέλαδος» Ĕngélādŏs* --> _(myth.) the leader of the mythical Giants who was captured and imprisoned by goddess Athena into the depths of the Earth after the Gigantomachy. The cause of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions according to ancient Greek mythology was him trying to escape_ < Classical prefix, adverb and preposition *«ἐν» ĕn* --> _in, within_ (PIE *h₁en(i)- _in_ cf Lat. _in_, Proto-Germanic *in) + Classical masc. noun *«κέλαδος» kéladŏs* --> _sound, noise, sharp sound_ (with obscure etymology).
(1) is in common usage, (2) is a euphemism and TV cliché.

Storm:
*«Καταιγίδα»* [kateˈʝiða] (fem.) --> _storm, thunderstorm, heavy downpour of rain_ < Classical 3rd declension fem. noun *«καταιγίς» kătai̯gís* (nom. sing.), *«καταιγίδος» kătai̯gídŏs* (gen. sing.) --> _squall descending from above_ < Classical prefix, preposition, and adverb *«κατά» kătá*, and *«κάτα» kátă* --> _downwards, against, along, through, over, across, concerning_ (PIE *km̥t- _down, with, along_ cf Hitt. -katta (postpos.), _along, with_) + Classical 3rd declension fem noun *«αἰγίς» ai̯gís* (nom. sing.), *«αἰγίδος» ai̯gídŏs* (gen. sing.) --> lit. _goatskin mantle protecting Zeus & Athena_, later, _thunderstorm_. _The cause of thunderstorms according to ancient Greek mythology was the violent shaking of «αἰγίς»_ < Classical 3rd declension fem. noun *«αἴξ» aí̯k͡s* (nom. sing.), *«αἰγός» ai̯gós* (gen. sing.) --> _goat_ (PIE *h₂eiǵ-/*h₂eiǵ-ih₂- _goat_ cf Arm. այծ (ayʦ), _goat_).


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## Gavril

I don't know if this has been mentioned yet, but it's worth pointing out that _*hurricane*_ and _*typhoon*_ are regionally-specific words: hurricanes are storms that form in the north Atlantic (and certain parts of the Pacific), and typhoons are formed in the Pacific closer to the east Asian coast.

A catch-all term for these and other similar weather phenomena is _*tropical cyclone*_.

(Confusingly, the term _tropical cyclone_ itself has a regionally-specific usage: the Indian Ocean / South Pacific equivalent of a typhoon/hurricane. Yet not all dictionaries' entries for the term mention this fact.)


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## ilocas2

Czech: *hurikán*

*not orkán* - "orkán Harvey" or "orkán Katrina" has *0* Google results


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