Spiral Meaning
/ˈspaɪɹəl/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA curve that is the locus of a point that rotates about a fixed point while continuously increasing its distance from that point.
nounA helix.
Sentence Examples
A snail's shell is spiral in form.
A spiral staircase leads onto the gallery of the church.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The staircase formed a ____ going up the tower in the castle.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The shell of the snail forms a perfect ____ that grows larger as the small animal gets older.
Word Origin & History
From Middle French spirale, from Medieval Latin spiralis, from Latin spīra, from Ancient Greek σπεῖρα (speîra, “wreath, coil, twist”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"My beloved friends and family who sustained and grounded me as I fell into the rabbit hole of this project or down the spiral of new parenthood."
— 2015, Jane Ward, Not Gay, New York University Press, →ISBN, page xi:
"The formation of tornados and water-spouts is very probably identical with that of dust-storms and "devils," viz., a sudden disturbance of the vertical equilibrium of the atmosphere, where by an upward rush of air is generated, which rapidly becomes spiral."
— 1877, H. F. Blandford, Indian Meteorologist's Vade-mecum, page 140:
"Excessive contrarianism against the liberal establishment has also resulted in slopulism spiralling off into the most moronic of conspiracy theories."
— 2025 May 2, Endeavour, “Against Slopulism”, in Counter-Currents, archived from the original on 21 Jun 2025:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The staircase formed a ____ going up the tower in the castle.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The shell of the snail forms a perfect ____ that grows larger as the small animal gets older.