dust devil

noun

: a small whirlwind containing sand or dust

Examples of dust devil in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What to know about Blue Origin after celebrity spaceflight NASA's Perseverance rover captures 'fiendish' dueling dust devils on Mars: See video What causes the Lyrid meteors? Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025 Over billions of years, the iron oxide broke down into dust and settled across the planet after being moved by Martian winds, which still spins up dust devils and massive dust storms. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 25 Feb. 2025 The new visuals show a dust devil consuming a smaller one on the rim of the red planet’s Jezero Crater. Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Apr. 2025 Holt had just had a close encounter with a dust devil. John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dust devil

Word History

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dust devil was in 1888

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Cite this Entry

“Dust devil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dust%20devil. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

dust devil

noun
: a small whirlwind containing sand or dust

More from Merriam-Webster on dust devil

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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