whorl: Meaning and Definition of

whorl

Pronunciation: (hwûrl, hwôrl, wûrl, wôrl), [key]
— n.
  1. a circular arrangement of like parts, as leaves or flowers, around a point on an axis; verticil.
  2. one of the turns or volutions of a spiral shell.
  3. anything shaped like a coil.
  4. one of the central ridges of a fingerprint, forming at least one complete circle.
  5. a flywheel or pulley, as for a spindle.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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