vortex

[vawr-teks]

noun

plural

vortices, vortexes 

1. a whirling mass of water, especially one in which a force of suction operates, as a whirlpool.

2. a whirling mass of air, especially one in the form of a visible column or spiral, as a tornado.

3. a whirling mass of fire, flame, etc.

4. a state of affairs likened to a whirlpool for violent activity, irresistible force, etc.

5. something regarded as drawing into its powerful current everything that surrounds it.

   the vortex of war.

6. (in Cartesian philosophy) a rapid rotatory movement of cosmic matter about a center, regarded as accounting for the origin or phenomena of bodies or systems of bodies in space.

vortex

/ ˈvɔːtɛks /

noun

1. a whirling mass or rotary motion in a liquid, gas, flame, etc, such as the spiralling movement of water around a whirlpool

2. any activity, situation, or way of life regarded as irresistibly engulfing

vortex

plural

vortexes 

1. A circular, spiral, or helical motion in a fluid (such as a gas) or the fluid in such a motion. A vortex often forms around areas of low pressure and attracts the fluid (and the objects moving within it) toward its center. Tornados are examples of vortexes; vortexes that form around flying objects are a source of turbulence and drag.

2. See also eddy

Other Word Forms

• vortically adverb
• vortical adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of vortex¹

First recorded in 1645–55; from Latin, variant of vertex vertex

Word History and Origins

Origin of vortex¹

C17: from Latin: a whirlpool; variant of _vertex

Example Sentences

Another goal is to decrease the use of hazardous chemicals and reduce the size and energy demand of hardware by applying advanced predictive technologies for high-power vortices.

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Instead of relying on magnetic or electric polarization states, these materials contain vortices of electric dipoles.

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The stock market has hit a speed bump, not a yawning vortex of doom, as investors question the valuations of top tech and artificial intelligence stocks.

Read more on Barron's

I begrudgingly rise from my marshmallow chair and dart around the room, pulling comic books and toiletries into my suitcase like a speed-packing vortex.

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Still others have speculated that the sub was sucked into the vortex of the sinking warship and dragged to the bottom.

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Related Words

• dust devil 
• tornado 
• tourbillion 
• whirlwind