typhoon

noun

ty·​phoon tī-ˈfün How to pronounce typhoon (audio)
1
: a hurricane occurring especially in the region of the Philippines or the China sea
2
: whirlwind sense 2a
a typhoon of activity

Examples of typhoon 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.
Then the group was sidelined by a typhoon in Taiwan before having to curtail the Bali stop because of a volcano eruption. Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 3 Aug. 2025 Hong Kong’s airport authority said 80,000 travelers were hit by the rescheduling of 400 flights forced by the typhoon. CNN Money, 20 July 2025 They are referred to as typhoons west of the international date line, and they're called cyclones in the Indian Ocean and Australia. Tom Brown, Space.com, 29 June 2025 Best Time to Visit Hong Kong has a subtropical climate, meaning the summer season brings heat and humidity—and sometimes even typhoons. Taylor McIntyre, Travel + Leisure, 22 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for typhoon

Word History

Etymology

alteration (influenced by Chin — Guangdong — daaih-fùng, from daaih big + fùng wind) of earlier touffon, from Arabic ṭūfān hurricane, from Greek typhōn violent storm

First Known Use

1771, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of typhoon was in 1771

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Cite this Entry

“Typhoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/typhoon. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

typhoon

noun
ty·​phoon tī-ˈfün How to pronounce typhoon (audio)
: a hurricane occurring in the region of the Philippines or the China Sea

More from Merriam-Webster on typhoon

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