Definition of whirl

The origin of the word "whirl" can be traced back to the Old English word "hwyrlen," which meant "to spiral" or "to turn." This word evolved over time, with the Middle English "guirlen" and the Old Norse "hrýlr" both sharing a similar meaning. In Middle English, "guirlen" combined with the prefix "whi-," which meant "around" or "about," to create the word "whirlen," which again meant "to turn or spiral around." This word continued to evolve as it made its way into modern English, with the spelling of "whirlen" becoming "whirlen" in Early Modern English before finally being spelled as "whirl" by the 16th century. Interestingly, the modern meaning of "whirl" as "a rapid circular motion" is relatively recent, dating back to the late 16th century. Prior to this, the word "whirl" was used to refer to the process of twisting or spiraling, rather than the resulting motion. Overall, the origin of "whirl" reflects the Anglo-Saxon and Germanic languages from which it originated, highlighting the value placed on words that describe physical movements and directions.