Word
whirling
US/ˈhwɝɫɪŋ/
UK/wˈɜːlɪŋ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a group of people who spin around in circles as part of a religious or spiritual ceremony. This is most common in the Sufi tradition of Islam.
n. a group of Sufi practitioners who perform a ritual of spinning in circles as a form of meditation and spiritual devotion. Often associated with the Mevlevi order.
Examples
“The whirling dervishes performed their dance at the ceremony.”
“Visitors to the local museum can watch a video of the whirling dervishes performing their traditional spinning ritual.”
“The rhythmic spinning of the whirling dervishes is intended to induce a trance-like state, allowing the participants to transcend their physical bodies and achieve a closer connection with the divine.”
Examples
simple
“The whirling dervishes performed their dance at the ceremony.”
contextual
“Visitors to the local museum can watch a video of the whirling dervishes performing their traditional spinning ritual.”
complex
“The rhythmic spinning of the whirling dervishes is intended to induce a trance-like state, allowing the participants to transcend their physical bodies and achieve a closer connection with the divine.”
Real-World Examples
“These were the boom times of the early 2000s, UK housing recast as a global money trap, an endlessly whirling laundromat, a bricks and mortar central bank bond.” “Back then, I didn’t tell them I was 15 in 1980, forever sprinting across dancefloors pretending to be Adam Ant, chiffon scarves tied to knees, limbs flailing like a whirling Cossack.” Word family
NOUN
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/whirling