What does spirally mean?
Spirally is chiefly an adverb meaning “in a spiral manner.” It describes movement that circles around a centre while advancing, as a corkscrew does, and it can also describe an increase or decrease modelled by an outward- or inward-turning spiral. The word is especially useful in technical writing: “spirally increasing” is a familiar phrase for a sequence or trend whose rate or magnitude grows in a spiral pattern. As an adjective, spirally can modify a noun, as in “a spirally wound spring,” indicating a spiral form or arrangement. It is not normally used as a countable noun, and it has no standard antonym independent of context. In everyday prose, spirally is relatively uncommon; “spiralling” or “spiraling” is often more natural when describing an accelerating trend, while “spirally” remains especially apt for literal circular motion, shaped objects, and formal or mathematical descriptions. Its vocabulary is formal and technical.
In a spiral manner; following a winding, rotating, or progressively spiralling course.
"The aircraft banked sharply and descended spirally toward the runway."
Most natural with literal movement, geometric descriptions, and specialized technical contexts.
Having the form, motion, or arrangement of a spiral.
"The transformer uses a spirally wound coil."
Especially common in technical descriptions of mechanically or electrically wound components.
From the Greek speira, meaning “coil,” spirally evokes a path that keeps winding around as it advances.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does spirally come from?
Spirally was formed in English by adding the adverb-forming suffix -ly to spiral. Spiral comes from Latin spiralis, meaning “spiral” or “winding,” based on Latin spira, “coil,” which derives from Greek speira, “coil” or “spiral.” The same Greek and Latin roots also appear in related forms such as spirograph and spirochete.
How spirally is actually used
Relatively formal or technical in literal, mathematical, and descriptive contexts. In everyday discussion of accelerating trends, “spiralling” or “spiraling” is usually more natural. British “spiralling” has two l’s, while “spirally” normally has one.
Easily confused with spirally
“Spirally” is an adverb or adjective describing a spiral manner or form, whereas “spiralling” is a form of “spiral” meaning that something is winding or, for a trend, escalating.
“Spiral” is the noun, adjective, or verb from which “spirally” is derived; it can name a coiled shape or describe the act of winding.