Dictionary

turbulence en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈtɜː.bjə.ləns/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• /ˈtɝ.bjə.ləns/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English turbulence (“turbidity, cloudiness”), from Late Latin turbulentia (“trouble, disquiet”). By surface analysis, turbulent + -ence.

Meanings

1. (uncountable) The state or fact of being turbulent or agitated; tempestuousness, disturbance.
   • Turbulence was everywhere, within every blade of grass, every drop of dew on a leaf, every cloud in the sky, and every star beyond. The turbulence was purposeless, but in huge quantities of purposeless turbulence, purpose took shape. 2008, Luo Ji, The Dark Forest, →ISBN:
2. (uncountable) Disturbance in a gas or fluid, characterized by evidence of internal motion or unrest.
3. (uncountable) Specifically, a state of agitation or disturbance in the air which is disruptive to an aircraft.
4. (countable) An instance or type of such state or disturbance.
   • In a brief and abashed Tory conference speech, Kwarteng admitted it had been a “tough day” – hours after rowing back on the tax cut for high earners. He said his economic plan had caused “a little turbulence”. 2022 October 3, Kwasi Kwarteng, quotee, “Tory MPs plot to avert welfare squeeze after humiliating U-turns”, in The Guardian:

Forms

Deriveds

nonturbulence · mechanical turbulence · antiturbulence · wake turbulence · turbulence energy · clear-air turbulence · thermal turbulence · microturbulence · macroturbulence

Relateds

turbidity · turbulent

Translations (54)

ur اضطراب (disturbance in gas, fluid) · yue 動盪 /动荡 (disturbance in gas, fluid) · cmn 湍流 (disturbance in gas, fluid) · ru турбуле́нция (disturbance in gas, fluid) · ur ہلچل (disturbance in gas, fluid) · es turbulencia (disturbance in gas, fluid) · ko 난기류 (disturbance in gas, fluid) · fr turbulence (disturbance in gas, fluid) · cmn 紊流 (disturbance in gas, fluid) · ms pergolakan (disturbance in gas, fluid) · ro tulburare (disturbance in gas, fluid) · mi tuarangaranga (disturbance in gas, fluid) · tg oşuftagī (disturbance in gas, fluid) · ml അന്തരീക്ഷവിക്ഷോഭം (disturbance in gas, fluid) · cmn 亂流 /乱流 (disturbance in gas, fluid) · fa آشفتگی (disturbance in gas, fluid) · bg турбулентност (disturbance in gas, fluid) · tr türbülans (disturbance in gas, fluid) · nn turbulens (disturbance in gas, fluid) · ru турбуле́нтность (disturbance in gas, fluid) · az türbülans (disturbance in gas, fluid) · pt turbulência (disturbance in gas, fluid) · id turbulensi (disturbance in gas, fluid) · kk турбуленттілік (disturbance in gas, fluid) · da turbulens (disturbance in gas, fluid) · ko 난류 (disturbance in gas, fluid) · sv turbulens (disturbance in gas, fluid) · ja 乱流 (disturbance in gas, fluid) · be турбуле́нтнасць (disturbance in gas, fluid) · ta கொந்தளிப்பு ஓட்டம் (disturbance in gas, fluid) · id turbulens (disturbance in gas, fluid) · nl turbulentie (disturbance in gas, fluid) · it turbolenza (disturbance in gas, fluid) · vi dòng chảy rối (disturbance in gas, fluid) · az çalxantı (disturbance in gas, fluid) · cs turbulence (disturbance in gas, fluid) · yue 湍流 (disturbance in gas, fluid) · uk турбуле́нтність (disturbance in gas, fluid) · ky турбуленттүүлүк (disturbance in gas, fluid) · fi turbulenssi (disturbance in gas, fluid) · ms gelora (disturbance in gas, fluid) · wuu 湍流 (disturbance in gas, fluid) · gl turbulencia (disturbance in gas, fluid) · ar اِضْطِرَاب (disturbance in gas, fluid) · hy մրրկային շարժում (disturbance in gas, fluid) · ms turbulens (disturbance in gas, fluid) · ka ტურბულენტობა (disturbance in gas, fluid) · nb turbulens (disturbance in gas, fluid) · mi puahiri (disturbance in gas, fluid) · ro turbulență (disturbance in gas, fluid) · sk turbulencia (disturbance in gas, fluid) · de Turbulenz (disturbance in gas, fluid) · hu turbulencia (disturbance in gas, fluid) · mi hūkerikeri (disturbance in gas, fluid)