Magellanic spiral

noun

A type of galaxy, a spiral galaxy with one arm. Also consider a type of irregular galaxy. Usually, such spirals are a dwarf galaxy.

Similar
Magellanic spiral galaxySm
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Meanings

nounMagellanic spiral (plural Magellanic spirals)

plural Magellanic spirals

  1. astronomyA type of galaxy, a spiral galaxy with one arm. Also consider a type of irregular galaxy. Usually, such spirals are a dwarf galaxy.

    Synonyms: Magellanic spiral galaxy, Sm

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA type of galaxy, a spiral galaxy with one arm. Also consider a type of irregular galaxy. Usually, such spirals are a dwarf galaxy.

Similar
Magellanic spiral galaxySm

Origin

From the pattern found in the prototype of the class, the Large Magellanic Cloud, a type-1 irregular galaxy with a spiral structure having one arm. Named after Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Magellanic spiral. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Magellanic%20spiral

MLA

“Magellanic spiral.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Magellanic%20spiral. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Magellanic spiral,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Magellanic%20spiral.

Source: Magellanic spiral on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.