typhoon vs. cyclone

typhoon

noun

  1. Meteorology. a tropical cyclone in the western Pacific Ocean or northern Indian Ocean, having sustained winds of at least 64 knots (74 miles per hour, 33 meters per second): typhoons form in waters with surface temperatures of about 80°F (27°C), intensifying as temperatures rise. Compare hurricane ( def 1 ).
  2. Typhoon, Military.
    1. a single-engine British ground attack aircraft of World War II.
    2. NATO's name for a class of nuclear-powered Soviet ballistic missile submarine carrying 20 multiwarhead missiles.

cyclone

noun

  1. Meteorology. a large-scale, atmospheric wind-and-pressure system characterized by low pressure at its center and by circular wind motion, counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. Compare anticyclone, extratropical cyclone, subtropical cyclone, tropical cyclone.
  2. (not in technical use) tornado ( def 1 ).
  3. Also called cy·clone col·lec·tor [sahy, -klohn k, uh, -lek-ter], Machinery. a device for removing small or powdered solids from air, water, or other gases or liquids by centrifugal force.