# twirl

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈtwɜːl/ · frequency rank #42,463

## Definitions
1. A movement where a person spins round elegantly; a pirouette.
2. Any rotating movement; a spin.
3. A little twist of some substance; a swirl.
4. A prison guard.

## Etymology
Of Scandinavian origin, akin to Norwegian Nynorsk tvirla, Old High German dweran (German zwirlen, quirlen), Dutch dwarrelen and Icelandic þyrill; all from Proto-Germanic *þwirilaz (“stirring-stick, whisk”), *þweraną (“to stir”). Or, an alteration of tirl (“to twist”), with influence from whirl.

## Easily confused with
- **twit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/twirl-vs-twit)
- **twist** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/twirl-vs-twist)
- **till** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/till-vs-twirl)
- **tail** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tail-vs-twirl)
- **twin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/twin-vs-twirl)
- **tire** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tire-vs-twirl)
- **toil** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toil-vs-twirl)
- **twig** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/twig-vs-twirl)
- **third** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/third-vs-twirl)
- **trial** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trial-vs-twirl)
- **twice** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/twice-vs-twirl)
- **twins** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/twins-vs-twirl)
- **twine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/twine-vs-twirl)
- **twink** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/twink-vs-twirl)
- **Thiel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/thiel-vs-twirl)
- **trill** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trill-vs-twirl)

## Common misspellings (8)
`tiwrl`, `ttwirl`, `twilr`, `twirll`, `twirrl`, `twril`, `twwirl`, `wtirl`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/twirl