maelstrom
The origin and history of maelstrom.
Etymology
Originally the name of a legendary whirlpool off the coast of Norway, from Dutch maelstrom ("whirling stream"); popularized in English by Edgar Allan Poe's 1841 story "A Descent into the Maelström".
Class of 1841
maelstrom first entered the language around 1841. Other words from the same year:
See the full Class of 1841 →