Standard Lemma guide

waterspout

noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈwɔːtə spaʊt/
  • British, Southern, Standard: /ˈwoːtə spawt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ˈwɔtɚ spaʊt/ without the cot–caught merger
  • US: [ˈwɔɾɚ spaʊt] without the cot–caught merger
  • US, cot-caught-merger: /ˈwɑtɚ spaʊt/
  • US, cot-caught-merger: [ˈwɑɾɚ spaʊt]
  • US: cot-caught Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Scotland: /ˈwɔtəɾ spʌʊt/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A whirlwind that forms over water, not associated with a mesocyclone of a thunderstorm (contrary to a true tornado).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: cataract

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A true tornado that passes over a body of water.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A plume of water rising from the surface of a body of water as the result of an explosion or impact.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A channel through which water is discharged, especially from the gutters of a roof; downspout; drainpipe.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

a channel through which water is discharged (especially one used for drainage from the gutters of a roof)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: conduit

6

noun

Meaning 6

a heavy rain

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: downpour, cloudburst, deluge, torrent, pelter, soaker

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: rain, rainfall

7

noun

Meaning 7

a tornado passing over water and picking up a column of water and mist

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: tornado, twister

History

Etymology

From water + spout.

Across languages

Translations

34 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: تِنِّين (tinnīn) — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Bulgarian: воден смерч (voden smerč) — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Catalan: mànega — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Chinese Mandarin: 水龍捲 /水龙卷 (shuǐlóngjuǎn) — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Chinese Mandarin: 海龍捲風 /海龙卷风 — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Dutch: waterhoos — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Esperanto: trombo — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Estonian: vesipüks — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Estonian: pilvesammas — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • French: trombe — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • German: Wasserhose — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Greek: υδροστρόβιλος (ydrostróvilos) — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Ancient Greek: πρηστήρ (prēstḗr) — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Hindi: जलस्तंभ (jalastambh) — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Ido: trombo — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Irish: cuaifeach uisce — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Norwegian Bokmål: skypumpe — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: skypumpe — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Pohnpeian: elipip en pihl — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Polish: trąba wodna — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Portuguese: tromba-d'água — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Romanian: trombă — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Spanish: tifón — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Spanish: tromba — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Thai: นาคเล่นน้ํา (nâak-lên-náam) — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Ottoman Turkish: طولومبه (tulumba) — tornado that occurs over a body of water
  • Bulgarian: водосток (vodostok) — channel through which water is discharged
  • Dutch: waterspuwer — channel through which water is discharged
  • German: Wasserspeier — channel through which water is discharged
  • Japanese: 雨樋 (amadoi) — channel through which water is discharged
  • Latin: columna — channel through which water is discharged
  • Polish: wodotrysk — channel through which water is discharged
  • Portuguese: calha — channel through which water is discharged
  • Ottoman Turkish: ماسوره (masura, masra) — channel through which water is discharged
Real reading context

waterspout in complete knowledge articles