tromba

waterspout

noun TROHM-bah Rare

Also means

downpour

Usage Note

Tromba most commonly appears in the phrase tromba de agua, meaning a sudden violent downpour or cloudburst — not the same as a tornado (tornado) or a funnel cloud over water (tromba marina). It is also used figuratively for any overwhelming rush: una tromba de turistas. The masculine trombo is an entirely different medical word meaning blood clot.

Examples

"Una tromba de agua inundó las calles en minutos."

Natural Translation

A downpour flooded the streets in minutes.

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