Whirligig

For other uses, see Whirligig (disambiguation).

A whirligig is an object that spins or whirls, or has at least one member that spins or whirls.

The word, derived form the verb to whirl, is known in English since 1440, originally for various spinning toys.

Since ancient times, a whirligig was a spinning punitive or torture contraption comprising a suspended cage-like device, see "Whirligig (torture)".

Modern whirligigs are generally decorative and entertaining, such as lawn ornaments and wind-powered hanging art.

[edit] Miscellanea

The U.S. granted a patent for a yo-yo like device called a whirligig in 1866.
Paul Fleischman's book titled "Whirligig" is about a teenager who builds whirligigs as a way to repay the mother of a girl he killed in a drunk driving accident.
A Whirligig can also refer to a very small whirling of air, like a micro-cyclone.