eddy

C2+ Topic:Word Formation & Derivatives

US /ˈɛdi/ UK /ˈɛdi/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like ad /ɛ/ vs /eɪ/

Meanings

1

noun
a circular movement of water or air running contrary to the main current

Leaves spun in a small eddy at the river's edge.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a circular movement of... whirlpool vortex swirl whirlcountercurrent

Word family

Derived forms eddying

Etymology

Of uncertain origin, probably from a Northern Middle English or Old Norse source; compare Old Norse iða ('eddy, whirlpool') and the prefix ed- ('again, back').

iða Old Norse

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Word Formation & Derivatives General Vocabulary

External links

# eddy

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈɛdi/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈɛdi/

## Meanings
1. a circular movement of water or air running contrary to the main current

## Examples
- Leaves spun in a small eddy at the river's edge.

## Synonyms
- whirlpool
- vortex
- swirl
- whirl
- countercurrent

## Derived Forms
- eddying

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: iða

## Etymology
Of uncertain origin, probably from a Northern Middle English or Old Norse source; compare Old Norse iða ('eddy, whirlpool') and the prefix ed- ('again, back').

## AI Etymology
Eddy is of uncertain origin, probably from a Northern Middle English or Old Norse source; compare Old Norse iða ('eddy, whirlpool') and the prefix ed- ('again, back'). The immediate etymological form is Old Norse iða. In present use as noun and verb, it means "a circular movement of water or air running contrary to the main current", keeping the historical formation close to the word's ordinary semantic work. Because the origin is uncertain, the safest account is descriptive: the attested senses can be explained, but the ultimate formation remains unresolved. Derived forms include eddying.

## Topics
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- General Vocabulary

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