cyclonic

IPA/saɪˈklɒnɪk/
IPA/saɪˈklɑːnɪk/

cyclonic — adjective

  • cyclonicpositive
  • more cycloniccomparative
  • most cyclonicsuperlative

1. describes a wind or weather system that rotates in a circular, inward spiral tow

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a wind or weather system that rotates in a circular, inward spiral towards a central zone of low air pressure, normally producing clouds and rain

Example

The pilot was warned about cyclonic winds forming over the Pacific Ocean.

collocation: cyclonic winds

Quan studied satellite images of the cyclonic storm moving across the bay.

collocation: cyclonic storm

Common collocations
  • cyclonic winds
  • cyclonic storm
  • cyclonic rotation
  • cyclonic circulation
  • cyclonic system
Synonyms
  • low-pressure

    focuses on the pressure system rather than the circular motion

  • rotational

    more general term for anything that spins; not specific to weather

Antonyms
  • anticyclonic

    describes a wind system that rotates around an area of high pressure, usually bringing clear skies

Common Mistakes

The cyclonic pattern keeps repeating every week.
The cyclonic pattern keeps rotating around the low-pressure centre every few days.
'cyclonic' describes circular movement, not simple repetition.

2. describes a region or climate that regularly experiences powerful rotating storm

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a region or climate that regularly experiences powerful rotating storms such as hurricanes or typhoons

Example

The coastal village sits in a cyclonic zone where hurricanes strike every few years.

collocation: cyclonic zone

Yumi's hometown is in a cyclonic region that gets hit by typhoons almost every summer.

collocation: cyclonic region

Common collocations
  • cyclonic region
  • cyclonic zone
  • cyclonic climate
  • cyclonic area
Synonyms
  • stormy

    broader term covering any kind of storm, not just rotating systems

  • tropical

    refers to the latitude zone where cyclonic storms commonly form, but not all tropical areas are cyclonic

Antonyms
  • calm

    describes an area not affected by storms; informal comparison

  • tranquil

    describes weather that is peaceful and free of storms

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All three words describe movement or systems in the atmosphere, but they differ in focus. 'Cyclonic' is the most specific — it names the inward-spiral motion around a low-pressure centre, typical of storms and weather fronts. 'Low-pressure' describes the same systems by their pressure characteristic rather than their circular motion; a low-pressure system is not always strongly cyclonic in appearance. 'Rotational' is the broadest term, covering anything that spins (from a ceiling fan to a tornado), so it loses the precise meteorological meaning of 'cyclonic'. Use 'cyclonic' when you want to highlight the circular wind pattern; use 'low-pressure' when the pressure reading matters more; use 'rotational' only for a general sense of spinning.

cyclonic ↗low-pressure ↗rotational

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • cyclonic weather pattern
  • cyclonic storm system

Etymology

GreekEnglish

Comes from 'cyclone', which was coined in the 1840s by British meteorologist Henry Piddington from the Greek word 'kyklos' (κύκλος), meaning 'circle'. The suffix '-ic' turns the noun into an adjective meaning 'relating to a cyclone'. The word was created to describe the circular, spiralling nature of the powerful storms observed in the Indian Ocean.