whorl

whorl  (hwôrl, wôrl, hwûrl, wûrl) n. 1. A form that coils or spirals; a curl or swirl: spread the icing in peaks and whorls. 2. Botany An arrangement of three or more leaves, petals, or other organs radiating from a single node. 3. Zoology A single turn or volution of a spiral shell. 4. One of the circular ridges or convolutions of a fingerprint. 5. Architecture An ornamental device, as in stonework or weaving, consisting of stylized vine leaves and tendrils. 6. A small flywheel that regulates the speed of a spinning wheel. [Middle English whorle, alteration of whirle, whirl, from whirlen, to whirl; see whirl.]

whorl whorled leaves

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whorl

Noun

1. Bot a circular arrangement of leaves or flowers round the stem of a plant

2. Zool a single turn in a spiral shell

3. anything shaped like a coil [probably variant of whirl]

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whorl  (hwôrl, wôrl, hwûrl, wûrl)

1. An arrangement of three or more appendages radiating in a circular or spiral arrangement from a point on a plant, as leaves around the node of a stem. The sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels of angiosperms form four separate whorls within a complete flower.

2. A single turn of a spiral shell of a mollusk.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	whorl - a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals) curl, curlicue, gyre, ringlet, scroll, 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
	2.	whorl - a strand or cluster of hair lock, ringlet, curl hair - a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss; "he combed his hair"; "each hair consists of layers of dead keratinized cells" coif, coiffure, hair style, hairdo, hairstyle - the arrangement of the hair (especially a woman's hair) sausage curl - a fat sausage-shaped curl forelock - a lock of hair growing (or falling) over the forehead crimp - a lock of hair that has been artificially waved or curled dreadlock - one of many long thin braids of hair radiating from the scalp; popularized by Rastafarians
	3.	whorl - a structure consisting of something wound in a continuous series of loops; "a coil of rope" coil, helix, volute, spiral hank - a coil of rope or wool or yarn structure, construction - a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts; "the structure consisted of a series of arches"; "she wore her hair in an amazing construction of whirls and ribbons"

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whorl

noun swirl, spiral, coil, twist, vortex, helix, corkscrew