Thunderstorm: Meaning and Usage

Meaning 1：thunderstorm (Thunderstorm)

Thunderstorm 🔊

/ˈθʌndərstɔːrm/

A storm with lightning, thunder, heavy rain, and sometimes strong winds.

thunderstorm 🔊

➕

/ˈθʌndərstɔːrm/

A storm accompanied by lightning, thunder, heavy rain, and sometimes strong winds.

📁 Category：Natural Geography 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Derived from Old English 'þunor' (thunder) and 'storm', referring to a thunderstorm.

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine thunder rumbling and lightning flashing during a storm – that's a thunderstorm.

📖 Example

We had to cancel the picnic because the weather forecast predicted a severe thunderstorm in the afternoon. 🔊 We had to cancel the picnic because the weather forecast predicted a severe thunderstorm in the afternoon.

🔗 Collocations

severe thunderstorm – a thunderstorm with intense rain, lightning, and strong winds

thunderstorm warning – an official alert for expected thunderstorm conditions

isolated thunderstorm – a thunderstorm occurring alone, not as part of a large system

🔄 Synonyms

electrical storm (n.) – a storm with lightning and thunder

tempest (n.) – a violent storm, often with thunder and rain

📖 Cultural Story

Thunderstorms are common weather events. The word is a compound from Old English 'þunor' and 'storm'. In Norse myth, Thor's chariot was said to cause thunder.