Dictionary.com

curlicue

or cur·ly·cue

[ kur-li-kyoo ]
/ ˈkɜr lɪˌkyu /
See synonyms for curlicue on Thesaurus.com

noun

an ornamental, fancy curl or twist, as in a signature.

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

In our third teacher-created PSAT practice test there are new and unique vocabulary terms you may have never heard of! Can you guess what they mean?
Question 1 of 10
seclusion
a false belief or opinion.
the matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid.
the state of being isolated, kept apart, or withdrawn into solitude.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of curlicue

First recorded in 1835–45; curly + cue2
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to curlicue

curve, flourish, rush, stream, swell, upsurge, rash, surge, tide, flood, outbreak, sign, crest, influx, movement, braid, tendril, coil, trajectory, arc

British Dictionary definitions for curlicue

curlicue
/ (ˈkɜːlɪˌkjuː) /

noun

an intricate ornamental curl or twist

Word Origin for curlicue

C19: from curly + cue ²
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