spiral
Americannoun
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Geometry. a plane curve generated by a point moving around a fixed point while constantly receding from or approaching it.
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a helix.
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a single circle or ring of a spiral or helical curve or object.
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a spiral or helical object, formation, or form.
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Aeronautics. a maneuver in which an airplane descends in a helix of small pitch and large radius, with the angle of attack within that of the normal flight range.
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Football. a type of kick or pass in which the ball turns on its longer axis as it flies through the air.
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Economics. a continuous increase in costs, wages, prices, etc. inflationary spiral, or a decrease in costs, wages, prices, etc. deflationary spiral.
adjective
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running continuously around a fixed point or center while constantly receding from or approaching it; coiling in a single plane.
a spiral curve.
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coiling around a fixed line or axis in a constantly changing series of planes; helical.
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of or of the nature of a spire or coil.
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bound with a spiral binding; spiral-bound.
a spiral notebook.
verb (used without object)
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to take a spiral form or course.
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to advance or increase steadily; rise.
Costs have been spiraling all year.
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Aeronautics. to fly an airplane through a spiral course.
verb (used with object)
noun
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geometry one of several plane curves formed by a point winding about a fixed point at an ever-increasing distance from it. Polar equation of Archimedes spiral: r = a θ; of logarithmic spiral: log r = a θ; of hyperbolic spiral: r θ = a, (where a is a constant)
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another name for helix
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something that pursues a winding, usually upward, course or that displays a twisting form or shape
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a flight manoeuvre in which an aircraft descends describing a helix of comparatively large radius with the angle of attack within the normal flight range Compare spin
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economics a continuous upward or downward movement in economic activity or prices, caused by interaction between prices, wages, demand, and production
adjective
verb
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to assume or cause to assume a spiral course or shape
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(intr) to increase or decrease with steady acceleration
wages and prices continue to spiral
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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unspiraladjective
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spiralitynoun
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subspirallyadverb
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nonspiraladjective
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subspiraladjective
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spirallyadverb
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unspiralledadjective
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unspirallyadverb
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multispiraladjective
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unspiraledadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has spiralledperfect 3rd person singular
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has spiraledperfect 3rd person singular
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have spiraledperfect
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have spiralledperfect
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are spiralingprogressive
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am spirallingprogressive 1st person singular
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spiralssingular 3rd person
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is spiralingprogressive 3rd person singular
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have been spiralingperfect progressive
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has been spiralingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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are spirallingprogressive
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have been spirallingperfect progressive
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spiralingparticiple
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am spiralingprogressive 1st person singular
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spirallingparticiple
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has been spirallingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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is spirallingprogressive 3rd person singular
Past
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had spiralledperfect
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had spiraledperfect
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was spiralingprogressive singular
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had been spiralingperfect progressive
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were spirallingprogressive plural
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had been spirallingperfect progressive
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spiraledparticiple
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spiralledsimple
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spiralledparticiple
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was spirallingprogressive singular
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spiraledsimple
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were spiralingprogressive plural
Future
Etymology
Origin of spiral
1545–55; < Medieval Latin spīrālis, equivalent to Latin spīr ( a ) coil (< Greek speîra anything coiled, wreathed, or twisted; see spire 2) + -ālis -al 1
Explanation
A spiral is a coil or curl, like the shape of a piece of hair wound around your finger, a Slinky toy, or a corkscrew. A curve forming a series of circles that become gradually larger or smaller is one kind of spiral. You can also use the word as a verb when something moves in a spiral shape: "Then the wind died and I watched my kite spiral down to the ground." The origin of spiral is the Medieval Latin spiralis, which means "winding or coiling," from a Greek root: speira, "coil, twist, or wreath."
Vocabulary lists containing spiral
American Football, 1st Quarter
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myPerspectives 8.4
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Turtles All the Way Down
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Avoiding another wage-price spiral is the central bank’s primary focus, though it has not yet appeared in higher pay demands.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
What follows is part comedy and part emotional warfare as two middle-aged friends spiral into a battle of resentment, jealousy and revenge.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
Opposition to the facility has combined with long-running anger towards Ruto, and could yet spiral.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
Because M88 is viewed at an angle from Earth, the galaxy appears stretched out, with its spiral structure gracefully spreading across space.
From Science Daily • Jun. 1, 2026
Bobby started climbing the spiral staircase, up and up, four flights.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
