a current at variance with the main current in a stream of liquid or gas, especially one having a rotary or whirling motion.
a small whirlpool.
any similar current, as of air, dust, or fog.
a current or trend, as of opinion or events, running counter to the main current.
a movement in a stream of air, water, or other fluid in which the current doubles back on itself causing a miniature whirlwind or whirlpool
a deviation from or disturbance in the main trend of thought, life, etc, esp one that is relatively unimportant
A current, as of water or air, moving in a direction that is different from that of the main current. Eddies generally involve circular motion; unstable patterns of eddies are often called turbulence.
See also vortex
1425–75; late Middle English; Old English ed- turning + ēa water; akin to Old Norse itha
An eddy is a whirlpool — what you stare at as a kid when the water is draining out of the bathtub. Pronounced exactly like the name, “Eddie,” this word means to swirl in a direction opposite of the current. Any substance like water, fog, smoke, or air can create an eddy, but it is most commonly seen as a term related to water. Books from the "flapper" era of the 1920s often include a description of a nightclub with "an eddy of cigarette smoke above a woman’s head."
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“We delivered a strong first quarter as our value proposition continued to resonate with members across our clubs and at our gas stations,” said CEO Bob Eddy.
From MarketWatch • May 22, 2026
Under cross-examination by OpenAI attorney Sarah Eddy, Brockman sought to reframe diary entries that Musk's lawyers had used the previous day to portray him as a calculating opportunist.
From Barron's • May 5, 2026
“I’ve personally thought about this for a long time,” Apple senior vice president Eddy Cue said when the deal was announced.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026
Nezza, Eddy, Tropa Magica, Vanita Leo and Hermanos Espinoza each brought their own distinct essence to the Texas stage, reminding audiences that Latin music is dynamic and never static.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026
“What do you want to go to the Eddy for?” the second boy said.
From "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner
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.
