Spiral
From Nordan Symposia
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Origin
medieval Latin spīrāl-is (Albertus Magnus, a1255), whence also French spiral, Italian spirale, Spanish espiral.
Definitions
- 1a : winding around a center or pole and gradually receding from or approaching it <the spiral curve of a watch spring>
- b : helical
- c : spiral-bound <a spiral notebook>
Description
In mathematics, a spiral is a curve which emanates from a central point, getting progressively farther away as it revolves around the point. While a "spiral" and a "helix" are distinct as technical terms, a helix is sometimes described as a spiral in non-technical usage.