torrent vs spate

torrent and spate both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
torrent	Yes	No	No	No
spate	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, spate is a hypernym of torrent; that is, spate is a word with a broader meaning than torrent:

torrent (noun)	spate (noun)
a violently fast stream of water (or other liquid)	the occurrence of a water flow resulting from sudden rain or melting snow
a heavy rain	a sudden forceful flow
an overwhelming number or amount	(often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent