swirl

[ swurl ]
/ swɜrl /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR swirl ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object)

to move around or along with a whirling motion; whirl; eddy.
to be dizzy or giddy, as the head.

verb (used with object)

to cause to whirl; twist.

noun

QUIZZES

TAKE ROUND 2 OF OUR PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ!

Here is our second set of teacher-selected PSAT vocabulary words. Do you know the meanings of these terms?
Question 1 of 10
advocate
to give up possession or occupancy of.
to speak or write in favor of; support or urge by argument; recommend publicly.
to pronounce or decree by judicial sentence.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of swirl

1375–1425; late Middle English (north) < Scandinavian; compare Norwegian svirla; cognate with Dutch zwirrelen to whirl, German (dial.) schwirrlen to totter; all < a root *swir- (whence Danish svirre to whirl, German schwirren to whir) + -l- frequentative suffix

OTHER WORDS FROM swirl

swirl·ing·ly, adverbout·swirl, verb (used with object)

Words nearby swirl

swinney, swipe, swipe card, swipes, swipple, swirl, swirly, swish, swishy, swiss, swiss army knife
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to swirl

whirl, churn, boil, roil, twirl, crisp, agitate, surge, wriggle, eddy, crimp, snake, whorl, coil, curl, roll, whirlpool, swoosh, purl

Example sentences from the Web for swirl

British Dictionary definitions for swirl

swirl
/ (swɜːl) /

verb

to turn or cause to turn in a twisting spinning fashion
(intr) to be dizzy; swimmy head was swirling

noun

a whirling or spinning motion, esp in water
a whorl; curl
the act of swirling or stirring
dizzy confusion

Derived forms of swirl

swirling, adjectiveswirlingly, adverbswirly, adjective

Word Origin for swirl

C15: probably from Dutch zwirrelen; related to Norwegian svirla, German schwirren
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012