WHORL


Meaning of WHORL in English

n.1 a ring of leaves or other organs round a stem of a plant.

2 one turn of a spiral, esp. on a shell.

3 a complete circle in a fingerprint.

4 archaic a small wheel on a spindle steadying its motion.

Derivatives:

whorled adj.

Etymology: ME wharwyl, whorwil, app. var. of WHIRL: infl. by wharve (n.) whorl of a spindle

Oxford English vocab.      Оксфордский английский словарь.