spiral

noun
UK: /ˈspaɪrəl/
US: /ˈspaɪrəl/

  1. A shape like a coil, that winds around and around from a central point.

    1. The snail has a spiral shell.
    2. The artist created a mesmerizing spiral design in the sand, drawing the viewer's eye to its center.

  2. A continuous curve that gradually gets closer to or further from a center point as it revolves around it.

    1. The road climbed in a spiral.
    2. The dancer executed a graceful spiral, extending her leg and arching her back in perfect harmony.

Synonyms

coil whirl wind curl helix
spiral intransitive-verb

  1. To move in a spiral course.

    1. Smoke began to spiral upwards.
    2. The plane started to spiral downwards after losing engine power, causing panic among the passengers.

  2. To increase continuously in a negative or uncontrolled way.

    1. Prices started to spiral.
    2. The company's debt continued to spiral out of control, threatening its long-term viability.
spiral transitive-verb

  1. Wind or form into a spiral.

    1. Spiral the dough into a circle.
    2. They spiral wires around the pole, carefully securing the electrical cables.
spiral adjective

  1. Shaped like a spiral.

    1. It has a spiral staircase.
    2. The architect designed a modern building with a spiral facade, creating a visually stunning effect.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "spiral" in English means: A shape like a coil, that winds around and around from a central point., A continuous curve that gradually gets closer to or further from a center point as it revolves around it..

The phonetic transcription of "spiral" is /ˈspaɪrəl/ in British English and /ˈspaɪrəl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "spiral": coil, whirl, wind, curl, helix.

Example usage of "spiral": "The snail has a spiral shell.". More examples on the page.