steam devil en · NOUN
Etymology
From steam + devil. From being a whirlwind (“devil”) formed from mist (“steam”). Patterned after dust devil.
Meanings
- A spiraling wind caused by rising thermals off a warm body of water's surface that has been enveloped by a layer of very cold air, which also causes the humidity in the thermal to turn to mist, highlighting the whirl of the column. The equivalent of a dustdevil over water.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| steam-devil | alternative | lexicographic | |
| steam devils | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| steamdevil | alternative | lexicographic |
Coordinates
whirlwind · spout · tornado · thermal · waterspout · whirl