spiral

[spahy-ruhl]

noun

1. Geometry.,  a plane curve generated by a point moving around a fixed point while constantly receding from or approaching it.

2. a helix.

3. a single circle or ring of a spiral or helical curve or object.

4. a spiral or helical object, formation, or form.

5. 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.

6. Football.,  a type of kick or pass in which the ball turns on its longer axis as it flies through the air.

7. Economics.,  a continuous increase in costs, wages, prices, etc. inflationary spiral, or a decrease in costs, wages, prices, etc. deflationary spiral.

adjective

1. running continuously around a fixed point or center while constantly receding from or approaching it; coiling in a single plane.

   a spiral curve.

2. coiling around a fixed line or axis in a constantly changing series of planes; helical.

3. of or of the nature of a spire or coil.

4. bound with a spiral binding; spiral-bound.

   a spiral notebook.

verb (used without object)

spiraled, spiraling , spiralled, spiralling .

1. to take a spiral form or course.

2. to advance or increase steadily; rise.

   Costs have been spiraling all year.

3. Aeronautics.,  to fly an airplane through a spiral course.

verb (used with object)

spiraled, spiraling , spiralled, spiralling .

1. to cause to take a spiral form or course.

spiral

/ ˈspaɪərəl /

noun

1. 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)

2. another name for helix

3. something that pursues a winding, usually upward, course or that displays a twisting form or shape

4. 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

5. economics a continuous upward or downward movement in economic activity or prices, caused by interaction between prices, wages, demand, and production

adjective

1. having the shape of a spiral

verb

1. to assume or cause to assume a spiral course or shape

2. (intr) to increase or decrease with steady acceleration

   wages and prices continue to spiral

Other Word Forms

• spirally adverb
• spirality noun
• multispiral adjective
• nonspiral adjective
• subspiral adjective
• subspirally adverb
• unspiral adjective
• unspirally adverb
• unspiraled adjective
• unspiralled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of spiral¹

1545–55; < Medieval Latin spīrālis, equivalent to Latin spīr ( a ) coil (< Greek speîra anything coiled, wreathed, or twisted; spire ² ) + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of spiral¹

C16: via French from Medieval Latin spīrālis, from Latin spīra a coil; see _spire ²

Example Sentences

When I have anxiety spirals, I try to find solutions.

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China needs the U.S. to drive its export engine, the largest in the world, and keep its economy from spiraling into a slowdown that would stoke civil unrest.

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“Since then, it has spiraled out of control real bad,” Weibel says.

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As a result, it spiraled downward from a valuation that briefly topped $6 billion after it listed its shares publicly in 2021.

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Or local Jackson Lu, who shows a spiraling bus ride on a 20-story-tall elevated highway in a video with 56 million views across TikTok and Instagram.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• circling www.thesaurus.com
• coiled www.thesaurus.com