involute

American  

[in-vuh-loot, in-vuh-loot, in-vuh-loot] / ˈɪn vəˌlut, ˌɪn vəˈlut, ˈɪn vəˌlut /

adjective

1. intricate; complex.

2. curled or curved inward or spirally.

3. Botany. rolled inward from the edge, as a leaf.

4. Zoology. (of shells) having the whorls closely wound.

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noun

1. Geometry. any curve of which a given curve is the evolute.

verb (used without object)

involuted, involuting

1. to roll or curl up; become involute.

2. to return to a normal shape, size, or state.

involute British  

adjective

1. complex, intricate, or involved

2. botany (esp of petals, leaves, etc, in bud) having margins that are rolled inwards

3. (of certain shells) closely coiled so that the axis is obscured

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noun

1. geometry the curve described by the free end of a thread as it is wound around another curve, the evolute, such that its normals are tangential to the evolute See also evolute

verb

1. (intr) to become involute

Other Word Forms

• subinvolute
  adjective
• involutedly
  adverb
• involutely
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of involute

1655–65; < Latin involūtus (past participle of involvere to roll up, wrap, cover), equivalent to in- in- ² + volū- (variant stem of volvere to roll) + -tus past participle suffix; cf. involve

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

involute involuted

The visual tone of the show, like its deadpan, involute gags, is adult in the sense of 'grown-up,' as opposed to simply 'not for kiddies.'

From Slate ● Mar. 8, 2013

Co-scripted by Damon Lindelof of Lost, this film shares that series’ love for nested mythologies and involute philosophical riddles. is more interested in piling on big questions than in answering them.

From Slate ● Jun. 7, 2012

They were involute, introvert, indirect; they did not like questions and answers.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

Otherwise much as in Stipa.—Culms branching; leaves narrow, often involute.

From The Manual of the Botany of the Northern United States Including the District East of the Mississippi and North of North Carolina and Tennessee by Asa Gray

P. 5-9 cm. convex then infundib. edge involute, rufescent; g. soon tinged rufous; s. 4-6 cm. hollow, rigid, paler than p. flesh pallid; sp. subg. 4-5.

From European Fungus Flora: Agaricaceae by George Massee

Weightier than any of that is the ever-more involuted mystery enveloping the real Elizabeth Short, whose murder has inspired fictionalized homages before De Palma’s movie and since, but has yet to be satisfactorily rendered onscreen.

From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026

In the memoir, Mr. Adams relates his fascination with fractals — complexly involuted forms that we find buried in the shape of things like trees, coastlines and lightning bolts.

From New York Times ● Nov. 26, 2020

That is to say, their binding element is Katniss Everdeen, a heroine whose virtues are involuted to say the least.

From Slate ● May 21, 2020

The eldest boy, Ratan—Moni’s father—and my grandmother had shared the adjacent room, but, as Jagu’s mind involuted into madness, she had moved Ratan out with his brothers and taken Jagu in.

From The New Yorker ● Mar. 28, 2016

The eldest boy, Ratan—Moni’s father—and my grandmother had shared the adjacent room, but as Jagu’s mind had involuted into madness, she had moved Ratan out with his brothers and taken Jagu in.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee