gyro-

gyro-

pref.

1. Spinning: gyromagnetic.

2. Circle; spiral: gyroplane.

3. Gyroscopic: gyrostabilizer.

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[Greek gūro-, circular, from gūros, circle.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

gyro-

or before a vowel

gyr-

combining form

1. indicating rotating or gyrating motion: gyroscope.

2. indicating a spiral

3. (General Physics) indicating a gyroscope: gyrocompass.

[via Latin from Greek guro-, from guros circle]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

gy•ro¹

(ˈdʒaɪ roʊ)

n., pl. -ros.

1. gyrocompass.

2. gyroscope.

gy•ro²

(ˈdʒɪər oʊ, ˈʒɪər oʊ; Gk. ˈyi rɔ)

n.

pressed beef or lamb roasted on a vertical spit, thinly sliced, and usu. served in a sandwich on pita bread.

[1970–75; < Modern Greek gŷros literally, turn, revolution; see gyre]

gyro-

a combining form meaning “circle, rotation” ( gyromagnetic), “gyroscope” (gyrostabilizer).

[< Greek. gŷros ring, n. use of gȳrós round]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.