English

Noun

tourbillon ‎(plural tourbillons)

1. A rotating frame, containing the escapement of a clock or watch, that attempts to compensate for the effects of gravity.
   • 2006, Thomas Pynchon, Against the Day, Vintage 2007, p. 514:

     Time was vulnerable to the force of gravity. So Breguet came up with the tourbillon, which isolated the balance wheel and escarpment off on a little platform of their own

Translations

French

Etymology

From Old French torbeil + -on.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /tuʁbijɔ̃/

Noun

tourbillon m ‎(plural tourbillons)

1. whirlwind
2. eddy, whirlpool
3. (physics) vortex
4. (figuratively) whirl, whirlwind, maelstrom
5. tourbillon

Derived terms

• tourbillonnaire
• tourbillonner