An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

A spinning column of rising humid air that occurs over a body of warm water. Waterspouts fall within the class of atmospheric phenomena known as convective vortices that includes → tornadoes, → dust devils, and → hurricanes. They can feature wind speeds over 200 kilometers per hour.

Etymology (EN): → water + spout, from
M.E. spouten akin to M.Du. spiten “to spout;” O.E. spiwan “to spew.”

Etymology (PE): Tanure-ye daryâyi, from tanuré (kešidan) “turning and raising in the air,” probably from tanidan “to turn, spin,” → tension; daryâyi, → marine.