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":"ZdgusRHdGFhbLFzx3NfRc","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchWordsNearby/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"before":[{"slug":"rastle","entry":"rastle"},{"slug":"rasure","entry":"rasure"},{"slug":"rat","entry":"rat"},{"slug":"rata","entry":"rata"},{"slug":"ratable","entry":"ratable"}],"after":[{"slug":"ratafia","entry":"ratafia"},{"slug":"ratafia-biscuit","entry":"ratafia biscuit"},{"slug":"ratak-chain","entry":"Ratak Chain"},{"slug":"ratal","entry":"ratal"},{"slug":"ratan","entry":"ratan"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"ratable-value"},"requestId":"eyOag049zAmgtFLMhQf_1","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"luna/fetchExampleSentences/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"tdb":[],"gbg":[]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"ratable-value"},"requestId":"urdkXymx2Uh2_dM1tFBCs","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchDictionaryResults/fulfilled","payload":{"slugs":[{"entries":[{"__typename":"CollinsEntry","headword":{"displayForm":"ratable value","slug":"ratable-value"},"homonym":null,"note":null,"origin":null,"partOfSpeechGroups":[{"definitions":[{"crossReferencesConnection":{"edges":[]},"definitionSetChunks":"[{\"text\": \"\", \"type\": \"text\"}, {\"type\": \"defgrp\", \"children\": [{\"text\": \"(formerly) a fixed value assigned to a property by a local authority, on the basis of which variable annual rates are charged\", \"type\": \"text\"}]}]","examples":[],"idiom":null,"ordinal":1,"sense":null,"subdefinitions":[]}],"ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"noun"}],"pronunciations":[],"subEntry":[]}],"url":"ratable-value"}]},"meta":{"arg":{"slug":"ratable-value"},"requestId":"XLQFrO9vRNTH5PwZDXNER","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchResultsData/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"url":"ratable-value","displayForm":"ratable value","canonicalSlug":"ratable-value","content":[{"source":"collins","entries":[{"id":"ad9374d5e.6bfb.1014.b87b.c2803370a23a.1","type":"normal","entry":"ratable value","entrySyllabified":null,"entryVariants":"rateable value","homograph":null,"pronunciation":{"audio":null,"spell":null,"ipa":""},"predefinitionContent":"","posBlocks":[{"pos":"noun","posSupplementaryInfo":"","definitions":[{"order":1,"type":"simple","predefinitionContent":"British","definition":"(formerly) a fixed value assigned to a property by a local authority, on the basis of which variable annual rates are charged","postdefinitionContent":""}]}],"origin":"","supplementaryNotes":[],"variantForms":[],"referenceData":[],"relatedForms":[],"derivedForms":[]}]}],"nearbyWordOrdinal":127862,"index-rank-01":["ratable value"],"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":"ratable-value"},"requestId":"Rafll8gjgqDZxaZSwYXTb","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchSpellSuggestions/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"luna":[],"tuna":[],"lunaWithSlug":[],"tunaWithSlug":[]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"ratable-value"},"requestId":"rxTz1Rg2e8j1BRdnTu4Ig","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}}]},"actionData":null,"errors":null}

ratable value

noun

Word of the Day