Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “spiral” come from?

spiral (French) comes from Medieval Latin spiralis, from Latin spira, from French trompe, from Middle French trompe, from Old French trompe, from Frankish trumpa — trump, trumpet; trumpet.

spiral (French): spiral

Definitions

  1. spiral

Ancestry of “spiral”, step by step

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

Words derived from “spiral”

  • spirale
  • spiraler
Every word from Frankish trumpa →