vortical

adjective

vor·​ti·​cal ˈvȯr-ti-kəl How to pronounce vortical (audio)
: of, relating to, or resembling a vortex : swirling
vortically adverb

Examples of vortical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Top, vortical flows on P. damicornis by Shapiro et al. Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 5 Sep. 2014 Spinning on a vortical current of their own creation and vanishing into a dark hole. Karen Russell, The New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2021 Hydrogen, oxygen and all other atoms were, deep down, just different types of vortical knots. Quanta Magazine, 16 Dec. 2015 The other route is the chiral vortical symmetry, which requires that the plasma be rotating. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 2 Aug. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vortical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1653, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vortical was in 1653

Dictionary Entries Near vortical

Cite this Entry

“Vortical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vortical. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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