steam devil

English

Alternative forms

  • steamdevil, steam-devil

Etymology

From steam +‎ devil. From being a whirlwind (“devil”) formed from mist (“steam”). Patterned after dust devil.

Noun

steam devil (plural steam devils)

  1. 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.

Coordinate terms

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