Whorl

Whorl

Whorl is a type of spiral pattern.

Other meanings of whorl include:
* Whorl (mollusc), a single, complete 360° turn in the spiral growth of a mollusc shell
** Body whorl, in a mollusc shell the most recently formed whorl of a spiral shell, terminating in the aperture
* A whorl of sepals or petals or leaves on plants, in which all the parts are attached at the same point and surround or wrap around the stem.
* In biology a whorl might occur at the ends of different structures or occur in the middle of structures. It's often used to describe the structures of organs and used in the aid of identification. It's a cluster of cells or tissue that surround another, that starts at the same plain of axis or starts at one point and wraps around that point in an expanding circular pattern.
* A type of fingerprint pattern
* A weight attached to a spindle


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • 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

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