French word

ouragan

Pronunciation

IPA/uʁagɑ̃/

Meaning

  • masculine nounhurricane

Example

Un ouragan a frappé la côte hier soir.

A hurricane hit the coast last night.

Illustration for ouragan (hurricane)

More examples

Nous avons quitté la côte avant l'ouragan.

We left the coast before the hurricane.

Core concept

A massive tropical storm spiraling around a relatively calm central eye, with destructive winds and torrential rain.

Common phrases

  • abri contre l'ouragan

    hurricane shelter

  • évacuation en cas d'ouragan

    hurricane evacuation

Similar words

tempête: A large storm bringing strong winds and heavy rain.
cyclone: A swirling storm that brings powerful winds and torrential rain across a wide area.
tornade: A violently rotating column of wind that causes sudden, severe damage over a narrow area.
orage: A violent rainstorm accompanied by thunder and lightning.

Definition in French

Un ouragan est une tempête tropicale très violente caractérisée par des vents tourbillonnants autour d'un œil central et par de fortes précipitations.

Word origin

French ouragan comes through Spanish huracán from Taíno hurakán, a Caribbean word associated with violent storms.

Usage tips

  • Ouragan is masculine, so the standard form is un ouragan and not une ouragan.

Opposites

Word lists with this word