Where does “spiral” come from?

Spiral derives from Middle French spirale, from Medieval Latin spiralis, from Latin spira meaning coil or twist, from Ancient Greek σπείρα, from Proto-Indo-European sper-.

spiral (English): A curve that is the locus of a point that rotates...

Definitions

  1. A curve that is the locus of a point that rotates...

Ancestry of “spiral”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchspirale—
2Medieval Latinspiralisspiraling
3LatinspiraA thing that is coiled, twisted, or wound; A...
4Frenchtrompetrumpet; trunk of an elephant; squinch
5Middle Frenchtrompe—
6Old Frenchtrompetrump, trumpet; horn, trump, trumpet
7Frankishtrumpatrump, trumpet; trumpet

Words derived from “spiral”

Every word from Frankish trumpa →Every word from Old French trompe →Every word from Middle French trompe →