spiral

American  

[spahy-ruhl] / ˈspaɪ rəl /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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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

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

Etymology

Origin of spiral

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

Example Sentences

By some measures, worries about spiraling price growth were akin to those Americans experienced during the 1970s period of runaway inflation, the Cleveland Fed found.

From Barron's

Michael Burry, the entrepreneur who gained fame for spotting the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis, fanned fears on Monday as he flagged a possible "death spiral" for bitcoin.

From Barron's

The flip side is that even one comment from a top tech executive can set off a market spiral.

From The Wall Street Journal

Pulling a bit of eggshell from the box, she used its sharp edge to cut the skin in a spiral shape.

From Literature

"Noam. I d love your advice on how I handle my putrid press," Epstein wrote, adding that media coverage was "spiralling out of control".

From BBC

Related Words

• circling
• coiled