Definition of maelstrom

The word "maelstrom" originated from the Norwegian language and literally means "whirlpool" or "large whirlpool." It was first coined by Norwegian ancient historian and theologian Petter Dass in the 18th century. The specific location where the word maelstrom is often associated with is the grewndet, a powerful whirlpool in the rivers of Norway's Lofoten Islands. In English, the word maelstrom was popularized by Norwegian explorer and scientist Edgar Allan Poe in his short story "The Pit and the Pendulum" in 1842. Poe used the term to describe a hypothetical whirlpool in the Arctic he claimed to have witnessed. Over time, the usage of the word maelstrom has expanded beyond its original geographic context to refer to any intense or whirling circumstance or situation, both literal and figurative.