In the United States, tornadoes are commonly referred to as "tornadoes" or "twisters." The term "tornado" is widely used and is the official meteorological term for a violently rotating column of air that extends from the base of a thunderstorm cloud to the ground. In some regions of the US, particularly in the Great Plains states, tornadoes may also be referred to as "cyclones" or "twisters." However, the term "cyclone" is more commonly used in other parts of the world to refer to large-scale weather systems, while "twister" is a colloquial term used to describe a tornado.