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":"LuYnR3K4RhEsG8K2lmkKs","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchWordsNearby/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"before":[{"slug":"gyrene","entry":"gyrene"},{"slug":"gyrfalcon","entry":"gyrfalcon"},{"slug":"gyro","entry":"gyro"},{"slug":"gyrocompass","entry":"gyrocompass"},{"slug":"gyrocopter","entry":"gyrocopter"}],"after":[{"slug":"gyrofrequency","entry":"gyrofrequency"},{"slug":"gyro-horizon","entry":"gyro horizon"},{"slug":"gyroidal","entry":"gyroidal"},{"slug":"gyromagnetic","entry":"gyromagnetic"},{"slug":"gyromagnetic-ratio","entry":"gyromagnetic ratio"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"gyrodyne"},"requestId":"fEoh8ZfBTXSWGw0Ijb4pO","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"luna/fetchExampleSentences/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"tdb":[],"gbg":[]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"gyrodyne"},"requestId":"Qb2pzpczUY71-8053UowG","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchDictionaryResults/fulfilled","payload":{"slugs":[{"entries":[{"__typename":"CollinsEntry","headword":{"displayForm":"gyrodyne","slug":"gyrodyne"},"homonym":null,"note":null,"origin":null,"partOfSpeechGroups":[{"definitions":[{"crossReferencesConnection":{"edges":[]},"definitionSetChunks":"[{\"type\": \"defgrp\", \"children\": [{\"text\": \"an aircraft that uses a powered rotor to take off and manoeuvre, but uses autorotation when cruising\", \"type\": \"text\"}]}]","examples":[],"idiom":null,"ordinal":1,"sense":null,"subdefinitions":[]}],"ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"noun"}],"pronunciations":[{"ipa":"ˈdʒaɪrəʊˌdaɪn"}],"subEntry":[]}],"url":"gyrodyne"}]},"meta":{"arg":{"slug":"gyrodyne"},"requestId":"f7p5Fx_iRSXv1rVTjw9CV","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchResultsData/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"url":"gyrodyne","displayForm":"gyrodyne","canonicalSlug":"gyrodyne","content":[{"source":"collins","entries":[{"id":"aca3886b1.6bfb.1014.b87b.c2803370a23a.1","type":"normal","entry":"gyrodyne","entrySyllabified":null,"entryVariants":"","homograph":null,"pronunciation":{"audio":null,"spell":null,"ipa":"(ˈdʒaɪrəʊˌdaɪn)"},"predefinitionContent":"","posBlocks":[{"pos":"noun","posSupplementaryInfo":"","definitions":[{"order":1,"type":"simple","predefinitionContent":"","definition":"an aircraft that uses a powered rotor to take off and manoeuvre, but uses autorotation when cruising","postdefinitionContent":""}]}],"origin":"","supplementaryNotes":[],"variantForms":[],"referenceData":[],"relatedForms":[],"derivedForms":[]}]}],"nearbyWordOrdinal":68459,"index-rank-01":["gyrodyne"],"index-rank-02":[],"index-rank-03":[],"index-rank-04":[],"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":[],"index-rank-14":[],"index-rank-15":[],"tunaSlug":null,"isFeaturedMetaSlug":false}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"gyrodyne"},"requestId":"B2DdRc-slXdeL65Nzl5r5","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchSpellSuggestions/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"luna":[],"tuna":["grody","grading","trodden","garden","groaned","ground","gyrating","gyrate","gyring","crone","grade","groan","groin","grown","gyred","gardener","garotte","go riding","good one","griddle","redone","crowding","get done","eroding","gradate","groping","growing","cry down","grating","crowd in","go round","go-round","corroding","go route","re done","re-done","gird in","glad eyne"],"lunaWithSlug":[],"tunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"grody","slug":"grody"},{"displayForm":"grading","slug":"grading"},{"displayForm":"trodden","slug":"trodden"},{"displayForm":"garden","slug":"garden"},{"displayForm":"groaned","slug":"groaned"},{"displayForm":"ground","slug":"ground"},{"displayForm":"gyrating","slug":"gyrating"},{"displayForm":"gyrate","slug":"gyrate"},{"displayForm":"gyring","slug":"gyring"},{"displayForm":"crone","slug":"crone"},{"displayForm":"grade","slug":"grade"},{"displayForm":"groan","slug":"groan"},{"displayForm":"groin","slug":"groin"},{"displayForm":"grown","slug":"grown"},{"displayForm":"gyred","slug":"gyred"},{"displayForm":"gardener","slug":"gardener"},{"displayForm":"garotte","slug":"garotte"},{"displayForm":"go riding","slug":"go%20riding"},{"displayForm":"good one","slug":"good%20one"},{"displayForm":"griddle","slug":"griddle"},{"displayForm":"redone","slug":"redone"},{"displayForm":"crowding","slug":"crowding"},{"displayForm":"get done","slug":"get%20done"},{"displayForm":"eroding","slug":"eroding"},{"displayForm":"gradate","slug":"gradate"},{"displayForm":"groping","slug":"groping"},{"displayForm":"growing","slug":"growing"},{"displayForm":"cry down","slug":"cry%20down"},{"displayForm":"grating","slug":"grating"},{"displayForm":"crowd in","slug":"crowd%20in"},{"displayForm":"go round","slug":"go%20round"},{"displayForm":"go-round","slug":"go-round"},{"displayForm":"corroding","slug":"corroding"},{"displayForm":"go route","slug":"go%20route"},{"displayForm":"re done","slug":"re%20done"},{"displayForm":"re-done","slug":"re-done"},{"displayForm":"gird in","slug":"gird%20in"},{"displayForm":"glad eyne","slug":"glad%20eyne"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"gyrodyne"},"requestId":"TOOPdWEoyXiHk3PO647s5","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}}]},"actionData":null,"errors":null}

gyrodyne

noun

Word of the Day