A whirligig's an object that spins or whirls, or has at least one member that spins or whirls in the wind. The word, derived from the verb to whirl,'s known in English since 1440, originally for various spinning toys. In ancient times, a whirligig was also 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. Whirligig discs ar… (More on Whirligig)