eddy
pronunciation
How to pronounce eddy in British English:
UK [ˈedi]
How to pronounce eddy in American English:
US [ˈɛdi]
-
- Noun:
- a miniature whirlpool or whirlwind resulting when the current of a fluid doubles back on itself
-
- Verb:
- flow in a circular current, of liquids
Word Origin
- eddy
- eddy: [15] The ultimate source of eddy appears to be a prehistoric Germanic particle meaning ‘back, again’, represented in Old English by ed-, in Old High German by et-, and in Old Norse by ith- (it is related to Latin et ‘and’ and its various Romance descendants, such as French et and Italian ed). According to this theory, an eddy would thus be ‘water that flows back’.What is not altogether clear, however, is precisely how that prehistoric particle became eddy. Perhaps the most likely candidate as the missing link is Old Norse itha ‘whirlpool’, but it has also been suggested that Old English may have had a word *edwǣg, whose second element, ‘wave’, would be related to English way and vogue.
- eddy (n.)
- mid-15c., Scottish ydy, possibly related to Old Norse iða "whirlpool," from Proto-Germanic *ith- "a second time, again," which is related to the common Old English prefix ed- "again, backwards; repetition, turning" (forming such words as edðingung "reconciliation," edgift "restitution," edniwian "to renew, restore," edhwierfan "to retrace one's steps," edgeong "to become young again"). Compare Old English edwielle "eddy, vortex, whirlpool." The prefix is from PIE root *eti "above, beyond" (Cognates: Latin et, Old High German et-, Gothic iþ "and, but, however"). Related: Eddies.
- eddy (v.)
- 1730 (transitive); 1810 (intrans.), from eddy (n.). Related: Eddied; eddying.
Example
- 1. The eddy chosen for that experiment lacked enough silicon to prompt these particular diatoms to grow .
- 2. A slow moving river current can create a slow turning eddy , which rotates , forming an ice disc .
- 3. Very slowly the edges are ground down until a gap is formed between the eddy and the surrounding ice .
- 4. Such swirling currents can be remarkably self-contained . In fact , the new research to be published in nature on july 19 shows that less than 10 percent of the eddy 's waters mixed with the surrounding ocean .
- 5. With such ideal conditions , the group dissolved seven metric tons of iron sulfate in acidic seawater and spewed the solution into the ship 's propeller wash starting on february 13 , 2004 , covering a circular patch in the eddy of some 167 square kilometers .