Dictionary.com
definitions

circumvolution

[ sur-kuh m-vuh-loo-shuh n ]
/ ˌsɜr kəm vəˈlu ʃən /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR circumvolution ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act of rolling or turning around: planetary circumvolution.
a single complete turn or cycle.
a winding or folding about something: the circumvolutions of a boa.
a fold so wound: the circumvolution of a snail shell.
a winding in a sinuous course; a sinuosity: the circumvolutions of the river.
a roundabout course or procedure, or an instance of such: The speaker's circumvolutions bored the audience to tears.

RELATED WORDS

whirl, convolution, circulation, turn, gyration, rotation

Nearby words

  1. circumvallate papilla,
  2. circumvent,
  3. circumvention,
  4. circumventricular organ,
  5. circumvolute,
  6. circumvolve,
  7. circus,
  8. circus maximus,
  9. cire,
  10. cire perdue

Origin of circumvolution

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
Related formscir·cum·vo·lu·to·ry [suhr-kuh m-vuh-loo-tuh-ree] /ˌsʌr kəm vəˈlu tə ri/, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for circumvolution

  • No doubt was possible: the two lobes, the circumvolution of the brain to the minute red lines of the blood-vessels, all was there.

    The Ancient Cities of the New World|Dsir Charnay

British Dictionary definitions for circumvolution

circumvolution

/ (ˌsɜːkəmvəˈluːʃən) /

noun

the act of turning, winding, or folding around a central axis
a single complete turn, cycle, or fold
anything winding or sinuous
a roundabout course or procedure
Derived Formscircumvolutory, adjective

Word Origin for circumvolution

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

Word Origin and History for circumvolution

circumvolution

n.

mid-15c., noun of action from past participle stem of Latin circumvolvere "to revolve through, to roll around" (see circumvolve).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper