gyre
gy·re/d͡ʒaɪ.ɚ/noun, verb
gyre is spelled G-Y-R-E: 4 letters and 2 syllables (gy·re). It appears about once in every 7 million words in written English, the 77,666th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, gyre means “A swirling vortex” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of gyre is gyres.
How many letters and syllables are in gyre?
| Letters | 4: G-Y-R-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: gy·re |
| In writing | about once in every 7 million words; the 77,666th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with | |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is gyre?
Gyre appears about once in every 7 million words in written English, the 77,666th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce gyre?
- UK /d͡ʒaɪ.ə/
- US /d͡ʒaɪ.ɚ/
Gyre has 2 syllables, split gy·re in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-gyre.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with gyre?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as gyre from its last stressed vowel (/aɪəɹ/):
Spelled with the same letters in another order: grey.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of gyre
- gyres plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- gyring participle, present
- gyred participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does gyre mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A swirling vortex.
- 2
A circular or spiral motion; also, a circle described by a moving body; a revolution, a turn.
- 3
archaicSynonym of gyrus (“a fold or ridge on the cerebral cortex of the brain”).
- 4
An ocean current caused by wind which moves in a circular manner, especially one that is large-scale and observed in a major ocean.
Most ships that tried to cross the Pacific in the past would get stuck in the gyres and never make it out.
verb
- 1
To spin around; to gyrate, to whirl.
- 2
rareTo make (something) spin or whirl around; to spin, to whirl.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Gyre in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| German | Strudel , ozeanischer Wirbel, Wirbel |
| Portuguese | remoinho , giro, turbilhão |
| Spanish | remolino , giro, giro oceánico |
| French | gyre, gyre océanique |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does gyre come from?
Borrowed from Latin gȳrus (“circle; circular motion”), from Ancient Greek γῦρος (gûros, “circle; ring”), from Proto-Indo-European *gew- (“to bend; to curve”). The English word is a doublet of gyro and gyrus.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).