torrential

English

WOTD – 10 October 2010

Etymology

From torrent +‎ -ial.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /təˈɹɛn.tʃəl/, /tɒɹˈɛn.tʃəl/
• (US) IPA^(key): /tɔˈɹɛn.t͡ʃəl/, /təˈɹɛn.t͡ʃəl/

• Audio (Northern California):

  (file)

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Adjective

torrential (comparative more torrential, superlative most torrential)

1. Coming or characterized by torrents; flowing heavily or in large quantities.

   There was a torrential downpour and we were all soaked.

   torrential rain

   • 1960 December, “Talking of Trains: The railways and the Devon floods”, in Trains Illustrated, page 709:

     On the Saturday, October 1, the torrential rains began to wreak damage east of Exeter.

Derived terms

• torrentiality
• torrentially

Related terms

• torrent
• torrid
• toast

Translations

coming or characterized by torrents; flowing heavily or in large quantities

• Armenian: տեղատարափ (hy) (teġatarapʻ), հորդ (hy) (hord)
• Belarusian: праліўны́ (praliŭný)
• Bulgarian: пороен (bg) (poroen), проливен (proliven)
• Catalan: torrencial (ca)
• Finnish: rankka (fi) (of rain), raivoisa (fi), vuolas (fi)
• French: diluvien (fr), torrentiel (fr)
• Galician: arrabecido m, debrocado m
• German: sintflutartig (de), sturzflutartig, wolkenbruchartig
• Greek: καταρρακτώδης (el) (katarraktódis)
• Icelandic: straumharður m, fossandi m, helli-, (in some combinations) flaumur m
• Ido: torentala (io), torentatra (io)
• Irish: folcmhar
• Italian: torrenziale (it)
• Lao: please add this translation if you can
• Maori: makerewhatu (of rain), tā whakarere (of rain)
• Portuguese: torrencial (pt)
• Russian: проливно́й (ru) (prolivnój)
• Spanish: diluviano, torrencial (es)
• Swedish: strömmande (sv), forsande (sv), störtande (sv)
• Tagalog: lirit