gyration

American  

[jahy-rey-shuhn] / dʒaɪˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of gyrating; circular or spiral motion; revolution; rotation; whirling.

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gyration British  

/ dʒaɪˈreɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of gyrating; rotation

2. any one of the whorls of a spiral-shaped shell

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Other Word Forms

• gyrational
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of gyration

First recorded in 1605–15, gyration is from the Late Latin word gȳrātiōn- (stem of gȳrātiō ). See gyrate, -ion

Explanation

The act of turning quickly in a circle is gyration. The gyration of a whirling amusement park ride might leave your head spinning long after you get off. A hula hoop whiz is an expert at gyration, whirling the hoops around their hips, arms, and legs (maybe all at once — that's a lot of gyration!). This kind of fast, circular movement is what gyration is all about, from an old verb, gyre, "rotate or revolve." In math, a gyration is a very specific type of rotation. When a sphere rotates around a point that's not at its center, it's an example of gyration.

Example Sentences

Gyration is key here, as are can-can kicks and big arm movements.

From The Guardian • Jul. 7, 2012

You can kiss those jitters goodbye with the GyroTransport, a new toy from Thomson/RCA's Gyration.

From Time Magazine Archive

Gyration follows the flow of the interiors, which belong to the mind.

From Angelic Wisdom Concerning the Divine Love and the Divine Wisdom by Ager, John