Definitions

Okay, I admit it. I'm ignorant about weather stuff. So today I went to dictionary.com to get a better understanding of the precise meanings of the following terms. I share them because I can.

tsu·na·mi
A very large ocean wave caused by an underwater earthquake or volcanic eruption.

tidal wave
1. The swell or crest of surface ocean water created by the tides.
2. (a) An unusual, often destructive rise of water along the seashore, as from a storm or a combination of wind and high tide.
(b) A tsunami.

hur·ri·cane
1. A severe tropical cyclone originating in the equatorial regions of the Atlantic Ocean or Caribbean Sea or eastern regions of the Pacific Ocean, traveling north, northwest, or northeast from its point of origin, and usually involving heavy rains.
2. A wind with a speed greater than 74 miles (119 kilometers) per hour, according to the Beaufort scale.

ty·phoon
A tropical cyclone occurring in the western Pacific or Indian oceans.

cy·clone
1. An atmospheric system characterized by the rapid inward circulation of air masses about a low-pressure center, usually accompanied by stormy, often destructive weather. Cyclones circulate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
2. A violent tropical storm, especially one originating in the southwestern Pacific Ocean or Indian Ocean.