Spiral

Definition: Spiral

Spiral

Adjective

1. In the shape of a coil.

Noun

1. A plane curve traced by a point circling about the center but at ever-greater distances from it.

2. A curve that lies on the surface of a cylinder or cone and cuts the element at a constant angle.

3. Ornament consisting of a curve on a plane that winds around a center with an increasing distance from the center.

4. A structure consisting of something wound in a continuous series of loops; "a coil of rope".

5. Flying downward in a helical path with a large radius.

Verb

1. To wind or move in a spiral course:" the muscles and nerves of his fine drawn body were coiling for action,", "black smoke coiling up into the sky"; "the young people gyrated on the dance floor".

2. Form a spiral; "The path spirals up the mountain".

3. Move in a spiral or zigzag course.

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 

Date "spiral" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1321. (references)

Building & Civil Engineering

Mining

Transportation

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Synonyms: Spiral

Convolution

Spiral, coiled, helical; cochleate, cochleous; screw-shaped; turbinated, turbiniform.

Coil, roll, curl; buckle, spiral, helix, corkscrew, worm, volute, rundle; tendril; scollop, scallop, escalop; kink; ammonite, snakestone.

Curvature

Carve, arc, arch, arcade, vault, bow, crescent, half-moon, lunule, horseshoe, loop, crane neck; parabola, hyperbola; helix, spiral; catenary, festoon; conchoid, cardioid; caustic; tracery; arched ceiling, arched roof; bay window, bow window.

Adjective: curved; Verb: curviform, curvilineal, curvilinear; devex, devious; recurved, recurvous; crump; bowed; Verb: vaulted, hooked; falciform, falcated; semicircular, crescentic; sinusoid, parabolic, paraboloid; luniform, lunular; semilunar, conchoidal; helical, double helical, spiral; kinky; cordiform, cordated; cardioid; heart shaped, bell shaped, boat shaped, crescent shaped, lens shaped, moon shaped, oar shaped, shield shaped, sickle shaped, tongue shaped, pear shaped, fig shaped; kidney-shaped, reniform; lentiform, lenticular; bow-legged; (distorted); oblique; circular.

Crosswords: Spiral

Albanian (helical, spiral, volute), Danish (spiral), German (spirally), Indonesian (spiral), Norwegian (coil), Papiamen (spiral), Romanian (spiral), Swedish (coil, helix, loop, spiral, whorl, winding, wreath), Turkish (helical, loop, spiral, spiry).

Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the galaxy lies a small, unregarded yellow sun. Orbiting this at a distance of roughly 92 million miles is an utterly insignificant little blue-green planet whose ape-descended life forms are so amazingly primitive that they still think digital watches are a really neat idea (The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy; writing credit: Douglas Adams; John Lloyd)

Do you think if we spelled Mystic Spiral with two y's it would be better (Daria; writing credit: Glenn Eichler; Peggy Nicoll)

Double Spiral Force (Project A-Ko Versus Battle 2: Blue Side; writing credit: Yuji Kawahara; Katsuhiko Nishijima)

I'm falling down a spiral destination unknown (Twilight Zone; performing artist: Golden Earring)

The Spiral Road (1962)

Spiral Zone (1987)

More Today Than Yesterday (performing artist: The Spiral Staircase)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Books

• Mystery of the Spiral Bridge (Hardy Boys 45) (reference)

• Spiral Tarot Deck (reference)

• The Spiral Path (reference)

  (more book examples)

Periodicals

• Cpt - Spiral Edition (reference)

• Cpt Speedy Spiral (reference)

• Law Officers Pocket Manual - Spiral Bound Ed (reference)

  (more periodical examples)

Theater & Movies

• Amazing Nurse Nanako - The Last Spiral (Vol. 3) (reference)

  (more DVD examples; more video examples)

Music

• Dashow: Songs from A Spiral Tree (reference)

• Dream Spiral (reference)

• Further Down the Spiral (reference)

  (more classical music examples; more popular music examples)

Consumer Goods

• Freud 75-106 3/8" Diameter 2-Flute Up Spiral Router Bit with 1/2" Shank (reference)

• Ottomanelli's Honey-Glazed Spiral Ham (reference)

• Conair CD18BC 3/4-Inch Spiral Barrel Curling Iron (reference)

• Porter-Cable 43832 1/4" Compression Spiral Router Bit, 1/4" Shank, Solid Carbide (reference)

• Porter-Cable 43221-10 1/8" Spiral Up, Non-Piloted, Cutout Bit, HSS, 1/8" Shank (10-Pack) (reference)

  (more baby examples; more wireless phone examples; more garden examples; more kitchen examples; more tool examples)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

From a lateral view, one is able to identify the cellular components along the length of a T. pallidum bacterium, which give this spiral bacterium (spirochete) a unique cellular morphology, and mode of motility. Credit: CDC.

A Grazing Encounter Between Two Spiral Galaxies. Credit: NASA.

Magnificant Details in a Dusty Spiral Galaxy. Credit: NASA.

The Key Project team used this Hubble telescope view of the magnificent spiral galaxy, NGC ... Credit: NASA.

The Hubble telescope has captured a flurry of star birth near the heart of the barred spiral ... Credit: NASA.

Black hole candidate in the spiral galaxy M87. (Produced with the Wide-Field Planetary Camera 2, Hubble Space Telescope.). Credit: NASA.

Image of the spiral galaxy NGC 4414. Credit: NASA.

A spiral staircase leading down from the top of Fort Jefferson at Dry Tortugas National Park. Credit: America's Coastlines.

Figure 63. Clement metallic thermometer, first mentioned in 1839 by the clock- maker of Rochefort, Leandre Clement. This thermometer functioned by the differential contraction or expansion of two strips of differing metals. They were soldered together in a spiral form. Left is the total assembly while above right is the indicating dial. Credit: Sailing for Science - the NOAA Fleet Then and Now.

Figure 39. Spiral opening messenger - in the design of these messengers, the groove which allows the device to be placed on the cable is in the form of an S or Z. The messenger is locked on the cable by means of a rotating part at the top of the messenger. A simpler non-locking version of this messenger was produced by HYTECH, a California firm. Credit: Sailing for Science - the NOAA Fleet Then and Now.

Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

It was reached by the spiral staircase which terminated at the corner of the room in a square hole like the hatchway of a ship

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Health

Helicobacter pylori, a gram-negative spiral microaerophilic bacterium. (references)

Once there, the bacterium's spiral shape helps it burrow through the lining. (references)

Some surviving spiral ganglion cells are necessary for auditory performance with a cochlear implant. (references)

Economic History

Burma

The regime's economic mismanagement is the chief cause of the continuing downward spiral in Burma's economy. (references)

Netherlands

Sharply rising inflation may invite trade unions to table higher than expected contract wage demands and trigger a feared for wage-price spiral. (references)

Netherlands

The Dutch Central Bank fears that a potential price/wage spiral will erode the Dutch competitive position vis-a-vis European competitors back to the 1987 level. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Expressions using "spiral": alternating spiral grain ♦ coiling helical spiral spiraling volute voluted whorled ♦ Equiangular spiral ♦ fast spiral ♦ heating spiral ♦ Hyperbolic spiral ♦ inflation spiral ♦ inflationary spiral ♦ Logarithmic spiral ♦ pair of spiral grooves ♦ pair of spiral oil grooves ♦ parabolic spiral ♦ slotting of spiral splines ♦ Spiral and Curved Bacteria ♦ spiral axis ♦ spiral balance ♦ spiral bandage ♦ spiral chip ♦ spiral chute ♦ spiral clutch ♦ spiral CT scan ♦ spiral curriculum ♦ spiral dive ♦ spiral down ♦ spiral downwards ♦ spiral drill ♦ spiral fin ♦ spiral galaxy ♦ Spiral Ganglion ♦ spiral gear ♦ spiral gearing ♦ spiral glide ♦ spiral groove ♦ spiral grooves ♦ spiral hose ♦ Spiral Lamina ♦ spiral model ♦ spiral nebula ♦ spiral of Archimedes ♦ spiral oil grooves ♦ spiral operculum ♦ spiral organ ♦ spiral out ♦ spiral ratchet screwdriver ♦ spiral scanning ♦ spiral scroll ♦ spiral shell ♦ spiral slot ♦ spiral spring ♦ spiral staircase ♦ spiral stairs ♦ spiral stairway ♦ spiral up ♦ spiral wheel ♦ spiral yarn. Additional references.

Beginning with "spiral": spiral-bound, spiral-like, spiral-patterned, spiral-wound, spiral-wrapped.

Ending with "spiral": Concho-spiral, down-spiral, the-spiral.

Afrikaans

spiraal. (various references)

Albanian

spirale (coil, convolution, helix, spire, volute, whorl), spiral (helical, volute), në formë spirale (anfractuous), dredhë (circumvolution, coil, contortion, convolution, Crimp, helix, hook, kink, meanders, sinuosity, tendril, volute, whorl, winding). (various references)

Arabic 

‏لولب (helix, screw, tap, thread), ‏حلزون (helix, snail, whelk), ‏طيران لولبي. (various references)

Bulgarian 

спираловидна черупка, спираловиден (gyrate, helical, spiry, turbinate, winding), спирална пружина, спирален (convolute, convoluted, corkscrew, gyrate, helical, spiry), спирала (coil, convolute, curl, helix, spire, volution), винтов (helical), образувам спирала, движа се спираловидно (gyrate). (various references)

Chinese 

螺旋形 , 螺旋 (Helices, Helix, Helixes). (various references)

Czech

spirálovitý (helical), spirálový, spirála (coil, curl, helix, spire, wreath), toèitý (cochlear, winding), šroubový. (various references)

Danish

spiral (helix, loop, timed hairspring). (various references)

Dutch

spiraal. (various references)

Esperanto

spiralo. (various references)

Farsi 

مارپیچی (Sinuous, Whorl), مارپیچ (Coil, Spire), حلزونی , بطورمارپیچ حرکت کردن , بشکل مارپیچ دراوردن , بشکل مارپیچ . (various references)

Finnish

kierukka (coil, diaphragm). (various references)

French

spirale (spiral groove, spiral scroll, spiral slot). (various references)

German

spiralförmig (spirally), Spirale (coil, helix, loop), schneckenförmig (helical, scroll-shaped). (various references)

Greek 

έλιξ (coil, curl, helix, screw, volute), σπειροειδήσ (turbinate, whorled), σπειροειδής κάθοδος, σπείρα (annulus, coil, gang, mob, volute, whorl), ελικοειδήσ (helical, sinuous, spiry, tortuous, turbinal), ελικοειδής (tortuous). (various references)

Hebrew 

לוליני (acrobatic, helicine, twisted), להסתלסל (become curly, trill, wave), לנוע במסלול לוליני, שבלולי (cochleate), שבלול (cochlear, mussel, slug, snail), חלזוני (turbinate), סלילי, ספירלי, ספירל. (various references)

Hungarian

spirális (cochlear, helical, whorled), spirál (spire). (various references)

Indonesian

spiral, pilin. (various references)

Italian

spirale (helix, ring, spire, twist). (various references)

Japanese Kanji 

螺旋 (helix, screw), 螺子 (helix, screw), 捻子 (helix, screw), 渦状 , スナック麺 (circlip, snack noodle, snake, snake dance, snakeskin, snap, snap ring, snapshot, snatch, sneak in, sneak out, sneak preview, sneaker, snob, snobbism, snooker, snoopy, snorkel, snow, snow boat, snow gun, snow mobile, snow surfing, snow tire, spark, spark plug, sparkling wine, sparring, sparring partner, spatula, sperm bank, spice, spider, spike, spike heel, spiked shoes, spiker, spiky cut, spurt, spy, studded snow tire). (various references)

Japanese Katakana 

ねじ (helix, screw), かじょう (article, articles, clause, condition of the common people, errors, excess, family custom, good wine, item, items, on the shelf, over-, sweet sake), スパイラル , らせん (helix, screw). (various references)

Korean 

나선. (various references)

Manx

jannoo caslagh, cassagh (footed, objective, pedal), caslagh (armature, coil). (various references)

Papiamen

spiral. (various references)

Pig Latin

iralspay.(various references)

Portuguese

espiral (coil, spire, swirl, whorl, wreath). (various references)

Romanian

spiralã (convolution, curl, helix, snail, spire, volute, winding), spiral, urcare în spiralã, elicoidal, coborâre în spiralã (spiral dive), în spiralã (corkscrew). (various references)

Russian 

спиральный (corkscrew, helical), спираль спиральный, спираль (curl, helix, snail, spire, volute), витой, винтовая линия, винтообразный. (various references)

Serbo-Croatian

spiralan (convolute, corkscrew, helical, involute, winding), spirala (helix, spire, volution, whorl), zavojnica (scroll, spire), zavojit (corkscrew, cranked, tortuous, twisting, winding), navojnica. (various references)

Spanish

espiral (corkscrew, spire, wreath), espira (coil, helix, spire, turn, whorl). (various references)

Swedish

spiral (coil, helix, loop, whorl, winding, wreath). (various references)

Turkish

spiral yay (helical spring, spiral spring), spiral (helical, loop, spiry), sarmal yapmak, sarmal hareket etmek, sarmal hareket (spire), sarmal (convolute, convoluted, curled, helical, spiri-, spiry, voluted, winding), yay şeklinde, helozoni yay, helezonik, helezon çizerek gitmek, helezon (helix, rifling, spire), enflasyon sarmalı, burma (wring), bobin (bobbin, coil, quill, reel, roller, sheave, spool, winding). (various references)

Ukrainian

спіральний (anfractuous, corkscrew, helical, volute), спіраль (gyre, helix, volute), гострокінцевий (acuminate, cuspidal, cuspidate, peaked, peaky, piked, ridged, ridgy, spiny, spired), гелікоїдальний (helical), виток (convolution, turn, whirl, whorl, wind, wreath), закручуватися у спіраль, закручувати у спіраль, предмет спіральної форми. (various references)

Vietnamese 

sự lên từ từ, sự giảm dần dần, xoắn ốc (volute, voluted, winding), đường xoắn ốc. (various references)

speira. (various references)

cocleam, helica, helix, spira, turbine, turbinem, turbines, turbinibus, turbinis, turbo. (various references)

spiralis. (various references)

Derivations

Words beginning with "spiral": spiraled, spiraling, spiralled, spiralling, spirally, spirals. (additional references)

Words ending with "spiral": leptospiral. (additional references)

Misspellings

"Spiral" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: piral, Pseira, sirel, siril, spearl, spernal, spira, spirel, spiri, sporal. (additional references)

Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams

-1 letter: arils, lairs, lapis, laris, liars, liras, pails, pairs, paris, pilar, rails, rials, spail.

-2 letters: ails, airs, alps, aril, lair, laps, lari, lars, liar, lipa, lips, lira, lisp, pail, pair, pals, pars, pial, pias, rail, raps, rasp, rial, rias, rips, sail, salp, sari, sial, slap, slip, spar.

-3 letters: ail, air, ais, alp, als, ars.

+1 letter: pillars, spirals, spirula.

+2 letters: airplays, appliers, calipers, earlship, espalier, graplins, harelips, impalers, impearls, lempiras, palikars, parboils, parslied, partials, pelorias, perillas, pilaster, plaister, plaiters, plashier, polarise, pralines, prevails, primulas, pyralids, replicas, reprisal, slipware, spandril, sparkily, sparlike, sparling, spicular, spiracle, spiraled, spirally, spirilla, spirulae, spirulas, springal, stipular.

+3 letters: acropolis, airplanes, appraisal, callipers, caprioles, deprivals, dispersal, dropsical, earlships, espaliers, graplines, imperials, interlaps, lampyrids, livetraps, marsupial, oilpapers, paillards, palmistry, paltriest, panbroils, paradisal, paralysis, parietals, particles, parvolins, pastorali, pearliest, pearlites, peculiars, pedaliers, pedlaries, periplast, piclorams, pilasters, pilchards, pillagers, piroplasm, plaisters, planarias, planisher, playgirls, plumerias, pluralism, pluralist, polarised, polarises, polarizes, polyurias, posttrial, prelacies, presidial, pretrials, primatals, proclaims, prodigals, prolamins, psalteria, psaltries, raspingly, reapplies, redisplay, relapsing, replicase, reprisals, saprolite, scrappily, shapelier, slipwares, spandrils, spanglier, sparingly, sparklier, sparkling, sparlings, specialer, spherical, spiracles, spiraling, spiralled, spiritual, splashier, spoliator, sprawlier, sprawling, springald, springals, spritsail, superlain, surprisal, traplines, triplanes, troopials, troupials.