curlicue vs whorl

curlicue

noun
  • A fancy twisting or curling shape usually made from a series of spirals and loops. 

verb
  • To make or adorn (something) with curlicues, or as if with curlicues. 

whorl

noun
  • Each circle, volution or equivalent in a pattern of concentric circles, ovals, arcs, or a spiral. 

  • A circle of three or more leaves, flowers, or other organs, about the same part or joint of a stem. 

  • A flywheel, a weight attached to a spindle. 

  • A volution, or turn, of the spire of a univalve shell. 

  • Any volution, as for example in the human ear or fingerprint. 

verb
  • To form a pattern of concentric circles. 

How often have the words curlicue and whorl occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )