coil, spiral, volute, whorl, helix
(noun) a structure consisting of something wound in a continuous series of loops; “a coil of rope”
lock, curl, ringlet, whorl
(noun) a strand or cluster of hair
coil, whorl, roll, curl, curlicue, ringlet, gyre, scroll
(noun) a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals)
Source: WordNet® 3.1
whorl (plural whorls)
A pattern of concentric circles.
(botany) A circle of three or more leaves, flowers, or other organs, about the same part or joint of a stem.
(zoology) A volution, or turn, of the spire of a univalve shell.
(anatomy) Any volution, as for example in the human ear or fingerprint.
A flywheel, a weight attached to a spindle. [from c. 1460]
whorl (third-person singular simple present whorls, present participle whorling, simple past and past participle whorled)
(intransitive) To form a pattern of concentric circles.
Source: Wiktionary
Whorl, n. Etym: [OE. whorvil the whirl of a spindle; akin to AS. hweorfa the whirl of a spindle, hweorfan to turn; cf. OD. worvel the whirl of a spindle. See Whirl, n. & v.]
1. (Bot.)
Definition: A circle of two or more leaves, flowers, or other organs, about the same part or joint of a stem.
2. (Zoöl.)
Definition: A volution, or turn, of the spire of a univalve shell.
3. (Spinning)
Definition: The fly of a spindle.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
8 May 2025
(noun) the act of protecting something by surrounding it with material that reduces or prevents the transmission of sound or heat or electricity
Contrary to popular belief, coffee beans are not technically beans. They are referred to as such because of their resemblance to legumes. A coffee bean is a seed of the Coffea plant and the source for coffee. It is the pit inside the red or purple fruit, often referred to as a cherry. Just like ordinary cherries, the coffee fruit is also a so-called stone fruit.
