vor·tex 
(vôrtĕks′)
(vôrtĕks′)n. pl. vor·tex·es or vor·ti·ces (-tĭ-sēz′)
1. A whirling mass of water or air that sucks everything near it toward its center.
2. A place or situation regarded as drawing into its center all that surrounds it, and hence being inescapable or destructive: a vortex of political infighting; a vortex of despair.
[Latin vortex, vortic-, variant of vertex, from vertere, to turn; see wer-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
vortex