Sandspouts are a weather phenomenon that occur when a column of rotating wind picks up sand or dust from the ground, forming a funnel shape that stretches up towards the sky. While "sandspout" is a specific term for this occurrence, there are other words that can be used as synonyms to describe this type of weather event. These include dust devil, sanddevil, dust whirl, and sand whirl. Essentially, any combination of the words "dust" or "sand" with "devil", "whirl", or "spout" can be used to describe this type of meteorological occurrence. Regardless of what terminology is used, sandspouts are a fascinating and often awe-inspiring natural phenomenon to witness.