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":"l-VfPLEc0EHMDhHKrjSD5","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchWordsNearby/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"before":[{"slug":"senility","entry":"senility"},{"slug":"senior","entry":"senior"},{"slug":"senior-aircraftman","entry":"senior aircraftman"},{"slug":"senior-airman","entry":"senior airman"},{"slug":"senior-center","entry":"senior center"}],"after":[{"slug":"senior-citizen","entry":"senior citizen"},{"slug":"senior-common-room","entry":"senior common room"},{"slug":"senior-high-school","entry":"senior high school"},{"slug":"senioritis","entry":"senioritis"},{"slug":"seniority","entry":"seniority"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"senior-chief-petty-officer"},"requestId":"7Dd4mS--r42U46_wllpCN","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"luna/fetchExampleSentences/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"tdb":[],"gbg":[]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"senior-chief-petty-officer"},"requestId":"5sadt74608QNPMkPOHu9p","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchDictionaryResults/fulfilled","payload":{"slugs":[{"entries":[{"__typename":"Entry","audioPronunciations":[],"confusableNotes":[],"genderNotes":[],"grammarNotes":[],"headword":{"displayForm":"senior chief petty officer","slug":"senior-chief-petty-officer"},"idioms":[],"orderKey":99999010,"ordinal":10,"origin":null,"partOfSpeechBlock":[{"definitions":[{"antonymsConnection":{"edges":[]},"definitionSetChunks":"[{\"type\": \"def\", \"children\": [{\"text\": \"a noncommissioned officer ranking above a chief petty officer and below a master chief petty officer.\", \"type\": \"text\"}, {\"text\": \"\", \"type\": \"text\", \"punc\": \"colon\"}, {\"text\": \"SCPO\", \"type\": \"text\"}]}]","examples":[],"ordinal":1,"subdefinitions":[],"synonymsConnection":{"edges":[]}}],"inflectionSets":[],"labelSet":{"labelSetText":"U.S. Navy and Coast Guard."},"ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"noun"}],"pronunciationNotes":[],"pronunciationSet":null,"relatedFormSets":[],"sensitiveNotes":[],"spellingNotes":[],"synonymStudy":[],"usageAlerts":[],"usageNotes":[],"variants":[],"verbPhrases":[]}],"url":"senior-chief-petty-officer"}]},"meta":{"arg":{"slug":"senior-chief-petty-officer"},"requestId":"1Bq5FDYSefQEvcQh6nmaL","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchResultsData/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"url":"senior-chief-petty-officer","displayForm":"senior chief petty officer","canonicalSlug":"senior-chief-petty-officer","content":[{"source":"luna","entries":[{"id":"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e76ee1e.-684a","type":"normal","entry":"senior chief petty officer","entrySyllabified":"senior chief petty officer","entryVariants":[],"homograph":null,"pronunciation":null,"predefinitionContent":"","posBlocks":[{"definitions":[{"order":1,"type":"simple","predefinitionContent":"","postdefinitionContent":"","definition":"a noncommissioned officer ranking above a chief petty officer and below a master chief petty officer. Abbreviation: SCPO","synonyms":"","antonyms":"","cites":[]}],"pos":"noun","posSupplementaryInfo":"U.S. Navy and Coast Guard."}],"origin":null,"originData":null,"supplementaryNotes":[],"variantForms":[],"variantSpellings":[],"referenceData":[],"relatedForms":[],"confusables":[]}]}],"nearbyWordOrdinal":138432,"index-rank-01":["senior chief petty officer"],"index-rank-02":[],"index-rank-03":[],"index-rank-04":["senior chief petty officer's","senior chief petty officers","senior chief petty officers'"],"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":["scpo"],"index-rank-14":[],"index-rank-15":[],"categoryId":"412","complexityScore":0.3195001745657471,"gradeLevel":"middle_school","tunaSlug":null,"isFeaturedMetaSlug":false}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"senior-chief-petty-officer"},"requestId":"q_ObebZn45Kfgl9rth41u","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchSpellSuggestions/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"luna":[],"tuna":[],"lunaWithSlug":[],"tunaWithSlug":[]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"senior-chief-petty-officer"},"requestId":"yBGHMYyeHSpGy7ljaz8Og","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}}]},"actionData":null,"errors":null}

senior chief petty officer

noun

Word of the Day