SPIRAL (spiralled, spiralling)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: spiralled    , spiralling   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does spiral mean? 

• SPIRAL (noun)
  The noun SPIRAL has 6 senses:

1. a plane curve traced by a point circling about the center but at increasing distances from the center

2. a curve that lies on the surface of a cylinder or cone and cuts the element at a constant angle

3. a continuously accelerating change in the economy

4. ornament consisting of a curve on a plane that winds around a center with an increasing distance from the center

5. a structure consisting of something wound in a continuous series of loops

6. flying downward in a helical path with a large radius

  Familiarity information: SPIRAL used as a noun is common.

• SPIRAL (adjective)
  The adjective SPIRAL has 1 sense:

1. in the shape of a coil

  Familiarity information: SPIRAL used as an adjective is very rare.

• SPIRAL (verb)
  The verb SPIRAL has 3 senses:

1. to wind or move in a spiral course

2. form a spiral

3. move in a spiral or zigzag course

  Familiarity information: SPIRAL used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SPIRAL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A plane curve traced by a point circling about the center but at increasing distances from the center

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Hypernyms ("spiral" is a kind of...):

curve; curved shape (the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes)

Derivation:

spiral (to wind or move in a spiral course)

spiral (form a spiral)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A curve that lies on the surface of a cylinder or cone and cuts the element at a constant angle

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Synonyms:

helix; spiral

Hypernyms ("spiral" is a kind of...):

curve; curved shape (the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "spiral"):

double helix (a pair of parallel helices intertwined about a common axis)

Derivation:

spiral (form a spiral)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A continuously accelerating change in the economy

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Hypernyms ("spiral" is a kind of...):

economic process (any process affecting the production and development and management of material wealth, or, according to Carmine Gorga, Ph.D., author of the book 'The Economic Process', the process of production of real wealth, distribution of ownership rights over real and monetary wealth, and consumption or expenditure of monetary wealth to purchase real wealth)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "spiral"):

inflationary spiral (an episode of inflation in which prices and wages increase at an increasing rate and currency rapidly loses value)

deflationary spiral (an episode of deflation in which prices and wages decrease at an increasing rate and currency gains in value)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Ornament consisting of a curve on a plane that winds around a center with an increasing distance from the center

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

spiral; volute

Hypernyms ("spiral" is a kind of...):

decoration; ornament; ornamentation (something used to beautify)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A structure consisting of something wound in a continuous series of loops

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

coil; helix; spiral; volute; whorl

Context example:

a coil of rope

Hypernyms ("spiral" is a kind of...):

construction; structure (a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "spiral"):

hank (a coil of rope or wool or yarn)

Derivation:

spiral (to wind or move in a spiral course)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Flying downward in a helical path with a large radius

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("spiral" is a kind of...):

rotary motion; rotation (the act of rotating as if on an axis)

Derivation:

spiral (move in a spiral or zigzag course)

• SPIRAL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

In the shape of a coil

Synonyms:

coiling; helical; spiral; spiraling; turbinate; volute; voluted; whorled

Similar:

coiled (curled or wound (especially in concentric rings or spirals))

• SPIRAL (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they spiral    ... he / she / it spirals   
Past simple: spiraled    / spiralled   
Past participle: spiraled    / spiralled   
-ing form: spiraling    / spiralling   

Sense 1

Meaning:

To wind or move in a spiral course

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

coil; gyrate; spiral

Context example:

the young people gyrated on the dance floor

Hypernyms (to "spiral" is one way to...):

turn (change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

spiral (a structure consisting of something wound in a continuous series of loops)

spiral (a plane curve traced by a point circling about the center but at increasing distances from the center)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Form a spiral

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

The path spirals up the mountain

Hypernyms (to "spiral" is one way to...):

curve; twist; wind (extend in curves and turns)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Sentence example:

The wires spiral around the stick

Derivation:

spiral (a plane curve traced by a point circling about the center but at increasing distances from the center)

spiral (a curve that lies on the surface of a cylinder or cone and cuts the element at a constant angle)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Move in a spiral or zigzag course

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

corkscrew; spiral

Hypernyms (to "spiral" is one way to...):

turn (change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Derivation:

spiral (flying downward in a helical path with a large radius)

 Context examples 

A genus of gram-negative, microaerophilic, spiral bacteria.

(Campylobacter, NCI Thesaurus)

Until recently, scientists thought J0045+41 was an object within M31, a large spiral galaxy located relatively nearby at a distance of about 2.5 million light-years from Earth.

(Giant Black Hole Pair Photobombs Andromeda Galaxy, NASA)

The pictures are created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine that scans the body in a spiral path.

(Helical computed tomography, NCI Dictionary)

In the trial, low-dose spiral CT scans were compared with chest x-rays for their ability to detect lung cancer early.

(National Lung Screening Trial, NCI Dictionary)

The spiral galaxy, identified as NGC 4631 or the "Whale Galaxy," is seen edge-on in the image, with its disk of stars shown in pink.

(Giant magnetic ropes seen in Whale Galaxy's halo, National Science Foundation)

Unlike the Milky Way, this semi-spiral collection of a few tens-of-billions of stars lacks our galaxy’s rich abundance of heavy elements, like carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen.

(Stellar Embryos in Nearby Dwarf Galaxy Contain Surprisingly Complex Organic Molecules, National Radio Astronomy Observatory)

While these tilted objects begin to reveal the three-dimensional structure within their spiral arms, fully understanding the overall shape of a spiral galaxy requires an edge-on view — such as this one of NGC 1055.

(A Galaxy on the Edge, ESO)

If so, you will have to work to keep the conversation from spiraling out of control.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

One of the primary functions of this cell is in implantation and in the establishment of the uteroplacental circulation since it extensively invades the spiral arteries at the placental site.

(Intermediate Type Trophoblastic Cell, NCI Thesaurus)

The team had been using Hubble to monitor a supernova in the far-distant spiral galaxy when, in 2016, they spotted a new point of light not far from the magnified supernova.

(Hubble Uncovers the Farthest Star Ever Seen, NASA)