First recorded in 1350–1400.
Comes via Middle English from the Latin word tortuōsus, which derives from the verb torquēre, “to twist, bend.”
Sign up for more Word of the Day!

\r\nEXAMPLES OF TORTUOUS\r\n

The tortuous road through the mountains made for a challenging but scenic drive.
The author's writing style was known for its elegant prose and tortuous plot twists.

\r\nIt's National Poetry Month, and we’ve created a challenge that really is for everyone. Submit now!","audio":"https://static.sfdict.com/audio/T03/T0390200.mp3","definitions":[{"partofspeech":"adjective","data":"full of twists, turns, or bends; twisting, winding, or crooked."}],"examples":[],"imageUrl":"https://www.dictionary.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/tortuous_IG.png","accentColor":"#0063D7"}},"status":"succeeded"}},"meta":{"requestId":"JG3Zf98wCUzLKPw9pnirz","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchWordsNearby/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"before":[{"slug":"absofuckinglutely","entry":"absofuckinglutely"},{"slug":"absolute","entry":"absolute"},{"slug":"absolute-alcohol","entry":"absolute alcohol"},{"slug":"absolute-altitude","entry":"absolute altitude"},{"slug":"absolute-ceiling","entry":"absolute ceiling"}],"after":[{"slug":"absolute-convergence","entry":"absolute convergence"},{"slug":"absolute-humidity","entry":"absolute humidity"},{"slug":"absolute-impediment","entry":"absolute impediment"},{"slug":"absolute-judgment","entry":"absolute judgment"},{"slug":"absolutely","entry":"absolutely"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"absolute-configuration"},"requestId":"0EVT677XX2GoLmscVMVNx","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"luna/fetchExampleSentences/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"tdb":[],"gbg":[]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"absolute-configuration"},"requestId":"e3QJlwsuD0fhkQ0-Mg4ss","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchDictionaryResults/fulfilled","payload":{"slugs":[{"entries":[{"__typename":"CollinsEntry","headword":{"displayForm":"absolute configuration","slug":"absolute-configuration"},"homonym":null,"note":null,"origin":null,"partOfSpeechGroups":[{"definitions":[{"crossReferencesConnection":{"edges":[{"headword":"chirality","slug":"chirality"}]},"definitionSetChunks":"[{\"text\": \"chem\", \"type\": \"lb_subject_field\"}, {\"type\": \"defgrp\", \"children\": [{\"text\": \"the spatial arrangement of atoms or groups in a chemical compound about an asymmetric atom\", \"type\": \"text\"}]}, {\"text\": \"Also calledabsolute stereochemistry\", \"type\": \"text\"}, {\"type\": \"cross_reference_group\", \"children\": [{\"text\": \"See\", \"type\": \"text\"}, {\"text\": \"chirality\", \"slug\": \"chirality\", \"type\": \"cross_reference\"}]}]","examples":[],"idiom":null,"ordinal":1,"sense":null,"subdefinitions":[]}],"ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"noun"}],"pronunciations":[],"subEntry":[]}],"url":"absolute-configuration"}]},"meta":{"arg":{"slug":"absolute-configuration"},"requestId":"YtMuzOGq2mrqI6EMHQxQK","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchResultsData/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"url":"absolute-configuration","displayForm":"absolute configuration","canonicalSlug":"absolute-configuration","content":[{"source":"collins","entries":[{"id":"ac1574f5a.6bfb.1014.b87b.c2803370a23a.1","type":"normal","entry":"absolute configuration","entrySyllabified":null,"entryVariants":"","homograph":null,"pronunciation":{"audio":null,"spell":null,"ipa":""},"predefinitionContent":"","posBlocks":[{"pos":"noun","posSupplementaryInfo":"","definitions":[{"order":1,"type":"simple","predefinitionContent":"chem","definition":"the spatial arrangement of atoms or groups in a chemical compound about an asymmetric atom","postdefinitionContent":"Also called: absolute stereochemistry See chirality"}]}],"origin":"","supplementaryNotes":[],"variantForms":[],"referenceData":[],"relatedForms":[],"derivedForms":[]}]}],"nearbyWordOrdinal":523,"index-rank-01":["absolute configuration"],"index-rank-02":[],"index-rank-03":[],"index-rank-04":[],"index-rank-05":[],"index-rank-06":[],"index-rank-07":[],"index-rank-08":[],"index-rank-09":[],"index-rank-10":[],"index-rank-11":[],"index-rank-12":[],"index-rank-13":[],"index-rank-14":[],"index-rank-15":[],"tunaSlug":null,"isFeaturedMetaSlug":false}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"absolute-configuration"},"requestId":"vSDb7Dsw56mPEoQSjVvl_","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchSpellSuggestions/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"luna":[],"tuna":[],"lunaWithSlug":[],"tunaWithSlug":[]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"absolute-configuration"},"requestId":"ur9BgwXTHxUuHDDmsk5F-","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}}]},"actionData":null,"errors":null}

absolute configuration

noun

Word of the Day