Meanings
plural whorls
- Each circle, volution or equivalent in a pattern of concentric circles, ovals, arcs, or a spiral.
- anatomyAny volution, as for example in the human ear or fingerprint.
present singular third person whorls · participle present whorling · participle past whorled · past whorled
- intransitiveTo form a pattern of concentric circles.
“Waves Against the Sand,” to music by Martinu, which opened the program, filled the stage space with whorling patterns of dancers surging with the gentle but ceaseless momentum of the sea.
2008 February 12, Jennifer Dunning, “Modern Style, Old-Fashioned Virtues”, in New York Times
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals)
nouna structure consisting of something wound in a continuous series of loops
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
From alteration of whirl (verb).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian венче, витка
- венче (venče)circle of three or more leaves, flowers, or other organs.
- витка (vitka)volution, or turn, of the spire of a univalve shell.
Catalan tortera, fusaiola
- torteraweight attached to a spindle
- fusaiolaweight attached to a spindle
Czech prstenec, přeslen
- prstenecpattern of concentric circles.
- přeslencircle of three or more leaves, flowers, or other organs.
Danish tenvægt
- tenvægtweight attached to a spindle
Dutch kringel, wervel
- kringelpattern of concentric circles.
- wervelpattern of concentric circles.
- windingpattern of concentric circles.
- wartelpattern of concentric circles.
- werdelpattern of concentric circles.
- bladerkranscircle of three or more leaves, flowers, or other organs.
- spinsteenweight attached to a spindle
- spinsteentjeweight attached to a spindle
- spinschijfweight attached to a spindle
Finnish pyörre, kiehkura
- pyörrepattern of concentric circles.
- kiehkuracircle of three or more leaves, flowers, or other organs.
- kierrevolution, or turn, of the spire of a univalve shell.
- värttinänkehräweight attached to a spindle
French volute, verticille
- volutepattern of concentric circles.
- verticillecircle of three or more leaves, flowers, or other organs.
- tour de spirevolution, or turn, of the spire of a univalve shell.
- fusaïoleweight attached to a spindle
German Wirbel, Kringel
- Wirbelpattern of concentric circles.
- Kringelpattern of concentric circles.
- Windungpattern of concentric circles.
- Spinnwirtelweight attached to a spindle
Greek σφοντύλι
- σφοντύλι (sfontýli)weight attached to a spindle
Icelandic snældusnúður
- snældusnúðurweight attached to a spindle
Irish roithleán eiteáin
- roithleán eiteáinweight attached to a spindle
Italian fusaiolo
- fusaioloweight attached to a spindle
Māori tōrino
- tōrinopattern of concentric circles.
Norwegian håndteinsnelle
- håndteinsnelleweight attached to a spindle
Persian پیچاپیچ
- پیچاپیچ (pičâpič)pattern of concentric circles.
Portuguese verticilo, fusaiola
- verticilocircle of three or more leaves, flowers, or other organs.
- fusaiolaweight attached to a spindle
Romanian verticil
- verticilcircle of three or more leaves, flowers, or other organs.
Russian пря́слице, пря́сло
- пря́слице (prjáslice)weight attached to a spindle
- пря́сло (prjáslo)weight attached to a spindle
- пря́слень (prjáslenʹ)weight attached to a spindle
Spanish fusayola, tortera
- fusayolaweight attached to a spindle
- torteraweight attached to a spindle
Swedish sländtrissa, trissa
- sländtrissaweight attached to a spindle
- trissaweight attached to a spindle
Welsh chwerfan
- chwerfanweight attached to a spindle
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with whorl
Sounds the same
Cite this entry
whorl. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/whorl
“whorl.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/whorl. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “whorl,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/whorl.
Source: whorl on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.