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Answer for the clue "Fingerprint circle ", 5 letters:
whorl

Alternative clues for the word whorl

Word definitions for whorl in dictionaries

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
mid-15c., "the small flywheel of a spindle," perhaps an alteration of whirl . Meaning "circlar arrangement of leaves or flowers round a stem of a plant" is first recorded 1550s. Of seashells or other spiral structures, from 1828. Related: Whorled .

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Whorl \Whorl\, n. [OE. whorvil the whirl of a spindle; akin to AS. hweorfa the whirl of a spindle, hweorfan to turn; cf. OD. worvel the whirl of a spindle. See Whirl , n. & v.] (Bot.) A circle of two or more leaves, flowers, or other organs, about the same ...

WordNet Word definitions in WordNet
n. a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles [syn: coil , roll , curl , curlicue , ringlet , gyre , scroll ] a strand or cluster of hair [syn: lock , curl , ringlet ] a structure consisting of something wound in a continuous series of loops; ...

Wikipedia Word definitions in Wikipedia
A whorl is a type of spiral or circular pattern. Other meanings of whorl include: Whorl (botany) , the attachment of sepals, petals, leaves, or branches at a single point Whorl (biology) , the structure of some organs, used in the aid of identification ...

Usage examples of whorl.

Tattoos on his shoulders and arms and a whorl of little knots of flesh on his back like braille under her fingertips: scarification done with cactus needles, the man tells her.

Her lithe muscular body bore the magical marks of ritual scarification, patterning her exquisite golden skin into complex silver and blue whorls and glyphs.

Tiny, stiff blond hairs sprouted in a tiny whorl from the tagus, tickling my finger.

To look at them was to marvel at the colours, the bands of purple and orchid pink, the flaming crimson whorls, the unique striature of diamond blue or lavender or ultramarine that marked each ball of light as different from the others.

As the leaves in the whole family of the Acanthaceae stand either opposite one another or in whorls, and as these are of equal size, the great inequality between the first two leaves is a singular fact.

Glancing around, Agent Brakeman reached under the body of the machine, inserting his forefinger in a concealed whorl lock.

The floor was a wide basin of silver, while across the roof flowed a similar whorl, this one black as ink, a shadow of the one below.

Nothing, I think, has played a part more exciting than that enacted by the fascinating loops, whorls, and arches etched on the fingers of a human being.

This is not important, however, as the only patterns in which we need to define the pattern area for classification purposes are loops and whorls.

The patterns referred to are usually double loops, though accidental whorls and loops sometimes present the same problems.

This is accomplished by grouping according to the ridge counts of loops and the ridge tracings of whorls.

If no loops appear in the little fingers, a whorl may be used to obtain a final, counting from left delta to core if in the right hand and from right delta to core if in the left hand.

Normally such things remained subdued or even denied--stuff of fantasies and masturbatory visions, minor whorls in the flood.

The bundle-like buds swelled and strained and opened with a jerk, thrusting out a coronet of little sharp tips, spreading a whorl of tiny, spiky, brownish leaves, that lengthened rapidly, lengthened visibly even as we watched.

The use of a whorl in a little finger for a final is required only in connection with a large group or collection of prints, such as the 32 over 32 primary.