whirlwind
whirlwind Lexical Profile
whirlwind Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Happening or conducted with great speed, energy, and suddenness.
"The author embarked on a whirlwind book tour across ten cities in just two weeks."
• noun
A column of air moving rapidly around and around in a cylindrical or funnel shape over land or water.
"A sudden whirlwind swept across the dry field, lifting dust and leaves high into the air."
A tumultuously fast, energetic, or confusing succession of events, activities, or emotions, or a person of extraordinarily dynamic energy.
"The first month at the new university was a complete whirlwind of lectures, orientations, and social events."
Word Origin & Etymology
Attested in Middle English around the early 14th century as 'whirlwynd', a compound formed from 'whirl' (influenced by Old Norse 'hvirfilvindr', meaning 'whirlwind') and Old English 'wind'.