turbulence

From Middle English turbulence (“turbidity, cloudiness”), from Late Latin turbulentia (“trouble, disquiet”).^[1] By surface analysis, turbulent +‎ -ence.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈtɜː.bjə.ləns/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈtɝ.bjə.ləns/

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• Hyphenation: tur‧bu‧lens

turbulence (countable and uncountable, plural turbulences)

1. (uncountable) The state or fact of being turbulent or agitated; tempestuousness, disturbance.
   • 2008, Luo Ji, The Dark Forest‎^[1], →ISBN:

     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.

2. (uncountable) Disturbance in a gas or fluid, characterized by evidence of internal motion or unrest.
3. (uncountable, aviation) 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.
   • 2022 October 3, Kwasi Kwarteng, quotee, “Tory MPs plot to avert welfare squeeze after humiliating U-turns”, in The Guardian‎^[2]:

     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”.

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turbulence f (plural turbulences)

1. turbulence

• “turbulence”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.