circumvolution

[ sur-kuhm-vuh-loo-shuhn ]
See synonyms for: circumvolutioncircumvolutory on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. the act of rolling or turning around: planetary circumvolution.

  2. a single complete turn or cycle.

  1. a winding or folding about something: the circumvolutions of a boa.

  2. a fold so wound: the circumvolution of a snail shell.

  3. a winding in a sinuous course; a sinuosity: the circumvolutions of the river.

  4. a roundabout course or procedure, or an instance of such: The speaker's circumvolutions bored the audience to tears.

Origin of circumvolution

1
1400–50; late Middle English <Medieval Latin circumvolūtiōn- (stem of circumvolūtiō), equivalent to Latin circumvolūt(us) (past participle of circumvolvere to circumvolve) (circum-circum- + volū- past participle stem of volvere to roll + -tus past participle suffix) + -iōn--ion

Other words from circumvolution

  • cir·cum·vo·lu·to·ry [suhr-kuhm-vuh-loo-tuh-ree], /ˌsʌr kəm vəˈlu tə ri/, adjective

Words Nearby circumvolution

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use circumvolution in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for circumvolution

circumvolution

/ (ˌsɜːkəmvəˈluːʃən) /


noun
  1. the act of turning, winding, or folding around a central axis

  2. a single complete turn, cycle, or fold

  1. anything winding or sinuous

  2. a roundabout course or procedure

Origin of circumvolution

1
C15: from Medieval Latin circumvolūtiō, from Latin circumvolvere, from circum- + volvere to roll

Derived forms of circumvolution

  • circumvolutory, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012