gyro

¹ American  

[jahy-roh] / ˈdʒaɪ roʊ /

noun

plural

gyros

1. gyrocompass.

2. gyroscope.

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gyro ² American  

[yeer-oh, jahy-roh] / ˈyɪər oʊ, ˈdʒaɪ roʊ /

noun

Greek Cooking.

1. meat, usually lamb, roasted on a vertical spit, then thinly sliced, topped with onions, and usually served in a sandwich of pita bread.

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gyro- ³ American  

1. a combining form meaning “ring,” “circle,” “spiral,” used in the formation of compound words.

   gyromagnetic; gyroscope.

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gyro- ¹ British  

combining form

1. indicating rotating or gyrating motion

   gyroscope

2. indicating a spiral

3. indicating a gyroscope

   gyrocompass

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gyro ² British  

/ ˈdʒaɪrəʊ /

noun

1. See gyrocompass

2. See gyroscope

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Etymology

Origin of gyro¹

First recorded in 1905–10; independent use of gyro-

Origin of gyro²

1970–75; < Modern Greek gŷros literally, turn, revolution; gyre

Origin of gyro-³

< Greek gŷros ring, noun use of gȳrós round

Example Sentences

The beef and Fritos bag earned the highest rating of 7.9, while the chicken and gyro meat bags earned much lower scores.

From Salon • Sep. 9, 2024

The menu globe-trots around the Mediterranean and through India; there are dolmades and gyro sandwiches, chicken korma and saag paneer.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 16, 2023

They are crinkle-cut fries with gyro meat, feta cream sauce, tomatoes, Kalamata olives, sliced red onions, pepperoncini, and feta cheese.

From Los Angeles Times • May 16, 2023

A nearby bus depot is a hub for commuters and tempts them to linger with a boba tea shop, a gyro stand and an outdoor cinema.

From New York Times • Apr. 7, 2023

The gyro had widened; The Great Chain of Being had snapped like so many paper clips strung together by some drooling idiot; death, destruction, anarchy, progress, ambition, and self-improvement were to be Piers' new fate.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

Related Words

• gyroscope