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

• spirality noun
• spirally adverb
• 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

Keeping the price tag under $10 billion would mean overcoming the industry’s defining challenges: spiraling costs and long construction timelines.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"The minute that it went on there, it started to kind of spiral," Aimee said.

Read more on BBC

Stock markets dropped on worries about the potential for a spiraling global trade war.

Read more on Barron's

For many people, that spending turns into a debt spiral.

Read more on MarketWatch

Fish and chip shops are fast morphing into general takeaways just to stay afloat due to a perfect storm of changing tastes and spiralling costs, an official trade body has warned.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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