gyre

gyre  (jr)

n.

1. A circular or spiral form; a vortex: "rain swirling the night into tunnels and gyres" (Anthony Hyde).

2. A circular or spiral motion, especially a circular ocean current.

intr.v. gyred, gyr·ing, gyres

To whirl.

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[Latin grus, from Greek gros.]

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gyre [dʒaɪə] Chiefly literary

n

1. a circular or spiral movement or path

2. a ring, circle, or spiral

vb

(intr) to whirl

[from Latin gȳrus circle, from Greek guros]

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gyre  (jr)

A spiral oceanic surface current driven primarily by the global wind system and constrained by the continents surrounding the three ocean basins (Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian). Each ocean basin has a large gyre in the subtropical region, centered around 30° north and south latitude. Smaller gyres occur at 50° north latitude in the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The direction of a gyre's rotation is determined by the prevailing winds in the region, with the large subtropical gyres rotating clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

gyre - a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals) curl, curlicue, ringlet, scroll, whorl, coil, roll corolla - (botany) the whorl of petals of a flower that collectively form an inner floral envelope or layer of the perianth; "we cultivate the flower for its corolla" calyx - (botany) the whorl of sepals of a flower collectively forming the outer floral envelope or layer of the perianth enclosing and supporting the developing bud; usually green round shape - a shape that is curved and without sharp angles verticil - a whorl of leaves growing around a stem