Whorl — Whorl, n. [OE. whorvil the whirl of a spindle; akin to AS. hweorfa the whirl of a spindle, hweorfan to turn; cf. OD. worvel the whirl of a spindle. See {Whirl}, n. & v.] [1913 Webster] 1. (Bot.) A circle of two or more leaves, flowers, or other… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
whorl — [wə:l US wo:rl] n [Date: 1400 1500; Origin: Probably from whirl] 1.) a pattern made of a line that curls out in circles that get bigger and bigger 2.) technical a circular pattern of leaves or flowers on a stem … Dictionary of contemporary English
whorl — [ wɜrl, hwɜrl ] noun count a circular pattern made by a line that continues to go around and around ╾ whorled adjective … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
whorl — mid 15c., flywheel or pulley on a spindle, perhaps an alteration of WHIRL (Cf. whirl). Meaning circle of leaves or flowers round a stem of a plant is first recorded 1550s. Of seashells or other spiral structures, from 1828 … Etymology dictionary
whorl — [n] spiral coil, corkscrew, curl, eddy, helix, swirl, twirl, twist, vortex, whirlpool; concept 436 … New thesaurus
whorl — ► NOUN 1) Zoology each of the turns in the spiral shell of a mollusc. 2) Botany a set of leaves, flowers, or branches springing from a stem at the same level and encircling it. 3) a complete circle in a fingerprint. DERIVATIVES whorled adjective … English terms dictionary
whorl — [hwôrl, hwʉrl] n. [ME whorwyl, dial. var. of wherwille, WHIRL] 1. a small flywheel on a spindle, as for regulating the speed of a spinning wheel 2. anything with a coiled or spiral appearance; specif., a) any of the circular ridges that form the… … English World dictionary
whorl — UK [wɜː(r)l] / US [wɜrl] / US [hwɜrl] noun [countable] Word forms whorl : singular whorl plural whorls a circular pattern made by a line that continues to go round and round Derived word: whorled adjective … English dictionary
whorl — /hwerrl, hwawrl, werrl, wawrl/, n. 1. a circular arrangement of like parts, as leaves or flowers, around a point on an axis; verticil. 2. one of the turns or volutions of a spiral shell. 3. anything shaped like a coil. 4. one of the central… … Universalium
whorl — 1. A turn of the spiral cochlea of the ear. 2. SYN: vortex of heart. 3. A turn of a concha nasalis. 4. SYN: verticil. 5. An area of hair growing in a radial manner suggesting whirling or twisting. SYN: vorte … Medical dictionary
