spiral

Etymology

From Middle French spirale, from Medieval Latin spiralis, from Latin spira, from Ancient Greek σπείρα (speíra, “wreath, coil, twist”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈspaɪɹəl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪɹəl

Noun

spiral (plural spirals)

1. (geometry) A curve that is the locus of a point that rotates about a fixed point while continuously increasing its distance from that point.
2. (informal) A helix.
3. A self-sustaining process with a lot of momentum involved, so it is difficult to accelerate or stop it at once.

Adjective

spiral (not comparable)

1. Helical, like a spiral

Verb

spiral (third-person singular simple present spirals, present participle (US) spiraling or (UK) spiralling, simple past and past participle (US) spiraled or (UK) spiralled)

1. (intransitive) To move along the path of a spiral or helix.

   The falling leaves spiralled down from the tree.

2. (transitive) To cause something to spiral.

   You need to learn how to spiral a ball.

3. (figuratively, intransitive) To increase continually.

   Her debts were spiralling out of control.

Further reading

• spiral on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons

Anagrams

• Aprils, Plairs, prials

Adjective

spiral (feminine singular spirale, masculine plural spiraux, feminine plural spirales)

1. spiral

Noun

spiral m (plural spiraux)

1. spiral

Further reading

• “spiral” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Noun

spiral

1. hip

Etymology

From Medieval Latin spiralis, from Latin spira

Noun

spiral m (definite singular spiralen, indefinite plural spiraler, definite plural spiralene)

1. a spiral, coil
2. a coil (contraceptive device)

References

• “spiral” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin spiralis, from Latin spira

Noun

spiral m (definite singular spiralen, indefinite plural spiralar, definite plural spiralane)

1. a spiral, coil
2. a coil (contraceptive device)

References

• “spiral” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.