Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

whirlwind

/ˈ(h)wɝlwɪnd/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.24 in modern English

Syllables: whirl-wind
IPA: /ˈ(h)wɝlwɪnd/

19

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A windstorm of limited extent, such as a tornado, dust devil, or waterspout, characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air with an upward current in the center; a vortex of air.

noun

A person or body of objects or events sweeping violently onward.

adj

Rapid and minimal.

Example Sentences

"VVhile in the mean time there iſſued out on the Eaſt-ſide a ſtrong VVind, but pure and refreſhing, vvhich dividing into ſeveral parts that turned round became ſo many innocuous VVhirl-vvinds of ſincere Air, tinctured only vvith a cool refreſhing ſmell, as if it had paſſed over ſome large field of Lilies and Roſes."
"And his hoofs ground the rocks to fire and dust, / His strong sides made the torrents rise in spray, / And turbulence, as if a whirlwind’s gust / Surrounded us; […]"
"Once he got that new scooter he turned into a whirlwind and damaged all the flowers."
"The weeks leading up to the convention were a whirlwind of preparation and hurried activity."
"swept up in the whirlwind of war"
"a whirlwind tour, a whirlwind romance"

Etymology

From Middle English whirlewind, whirlewynde, equivalent to whirl + wind. Compare Middle Dutch wervelwint, Old Norse hvirfilvindr.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: whirlewind

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈ(h)wɝlwɪnd/
British English: /ˈwɜːlwɪnd/

Inflected Forms

whirlwinds (plural)

Phrases

sow the wind, reap the whirlwind whistle-stop

Frequently Paired Words

whistle-stop

Synonyms

vortex maelstrom

Questions

How do you pronounce whirlwind?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈ(h)wɝlwɪnd/.
What does whirlwind mean?: A windstorm of limited extent, such as a tornado, dust devil, or waterspout, characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air with an upward current in the center; a vortex of air.
Where does whirlwind come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce whirlwind

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “whirlwind”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈ(h)wɝlwɪnd/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “whirlwind”.
Repeat and practice — Say “whirlwind” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.