spiral spring

noun

: a spring consisting of a wire coiled usually in a flat spiral or in a helix

Word History

First Known Use

1690, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of spiral spring was in 1690

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Spiral spring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spiral%20spring. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster

Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

antic

Listen to the pronunciation of antic

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Should that word have a hyphen?

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Popular in Wordplay

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

10 Hella Good U.S. Regionalisms

Better Ways to Say 'This Sucks'

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

Popular

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World