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convolute

[ kon-vuh-loot ]
/ ˈkɒn vəˌlut /
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See synonyms for: convolute / convoluted on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with or without object), con·vo·lut·ed, con·vo·lut·ing.
to coil up; form into a twisted shape.
adjective
rolled up together or with one part over another.
Botany. coiled up longitudinally so that one margin is within the coil and the other without, as the petals of cotton.
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Origin of convolute

1690–1700; <Latin convolūtus rolled up, equivalent to convolū- (stem of convolvere to convolve) + -tus past participle suffix

OTHER WORDS FROM convolute

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

Words related to convolute

cloud, coil, contort, loop, snaking, spiral, tangle, twist, wind, intricate

How to use convolute in a sentence

  • The spectacle of the legal procedure showed how a literate practice ended up convoluting justice.

    The Civilization of Illiteracy|Mihai Nadin

  • The robot held me back as Lhar advanced toward the girls, the skirt-like frill at her base convoluting as she moved.

    Where the World is Quiet|Henry Kuttner

British Dictionary definitions for convolute

convolute
/ (ˈkɒnvəˌluːt) /
verb (tr)
to form into a twisted, coiled, or rolled shape
adjective
botany rolled longitudinally upon itselfa convolute petal
another word for convoluted (def. 2)

Derived forms of convolute

convolutely, adverb

Word Origin for convolute

C18: from Latin convolūtus rolled up, from convolvere to roll together, from volvere to turn
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
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