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":"ulKGdGMHd6tXGh4qFlayf","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchWordsNearby/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"before":[{"slug":"scanner","entry":"scanner"},{"slug":"scanning-disk","entry":"scanning disk"},{"slug":"scanning-electron-microscope","entry":"scanning electron microscope"},{"slug":"scanning-force-microscope","entry":"scanning force microscope"},{"slug":"scanning-line","entry":"scanning line"}],"after":[{"slug":"scanning-tunneling-microscope","entry":"scanning tunneling microscope"},{"slug":"scansion","entry":"scansion"},{"slug":"scansorial","entry":"scansorial"},{"slug":"scant","entry":"scant"},{"slug":"scantily","entry":"scantily"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"scanning-probe-microscope"},"requestId":"c4p-ftWCWJP9uMRHduTUW","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"luna/fetchExampleSentences/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"tdb":[],"gbg":[]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"scanning-probe-microscope"},"requestId":"BvEitU7hyYnSy40oJHwPc","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchDictionaryResults/fulfilled","payload":{"slugs":[{"entries":[{"__typename":"CulturalEntry","definitions":[{"definitionSetChunks":"[{\"type\": \"text\", \"text\": \"Any of a number of devices capable of producing images of individual\"}, {\"type\": \"cross_reference\", \"text\": \"atoms\", \"slug\": \"atoms\"}, {\"type\": \"text\", \"text\": \"and\"}, {\"type\": \"cross_reference\", \"text\": \"molecules\", \"slug\": \"molecules\"}, {\"type\": \"text\", \"text\": \"on surfaces of materials. (\"}, {\"type\": \"italic\", \"text\": \"See also\"}, {\"type\": \"cross_reference\", \"text\": \"nanotechnology\", \"slug\": \"nanotechnology\"}, {\"type\": \"text\", \"text\": \".)\"}]"}],"headword":{"displayForm":"scanning probe microscope","slug":"scanning-probe-microscope"},"notes":[]}],"url":"scanning-probe-microscope"}]},"meta":{"arg":{"slug":"scanning-probe-microscope"},"requestId":"QO1--58noqjCD4q5EN8Yb","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchResultsData/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"url":"scanning-probe-microscope","displayForm":"scanning probe microscope","canonicalSlug":"scanning-probe-microscope","content":[{"source":"cultural","entries":[{"id":"scanningprob","type":"normal","entry":"scanning probe microscope","entrySyllabified":null,"entryVariants":[],"homograph":0,"pronunciation":null,"predefinitionContent":null,"contentBlocks":[{"title":null,"content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":"Any of a number of devices capable of producing images of individual atoms and molecules on surfaces of materials. (See also nanotechnology.)"}]}],"supplementaryNotes":[]}]}],"nearbyWordOrdinal":135813,"index-rank-01":["scanning probe microscope"],"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":"scanning-probe-microscope"},"requestId":"IEyv8VHX28gdVM1TAdru9","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchSpellSuggestions/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"luna":["Canning","canning","caning","cunning","sickening","scaling","signing","Sicanian","Spinning","scathing","spinning","stunning","Cannon","cannon","sacking","sacring","Scandian","scansion","Sining","canine","screening","sinking","Corning","gunning","kenning","sarking","scanner","sign in","sign-in","sea king","Sun King"],"tuna":["microscopic","microsleep","macroscopic","gyroscope","micros","micro"],"lunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"Canning","slug":"canning"},{"displayForm":"canning","slug":"canning"},{"displayForm":"caning","slug":"caning"},{"displayForm":"cunning","slug":"cunning"},{"displayForm":"sickening","slug":"sickening"},{"displayForm":"scaling","slug":"scaling"},{"displayForm":"signing","slug":"signing"},{"displayForm":"Sicanian","slug":"sicanian"},{"displayForm":"Spinning","slug":"spinning"},{"displayForm":"scathing","slug":"scathing"},{"displayForm":"spinning","slug":"spinning"},{"displayForm":"stunning","slug":"stunning"},{"displayForm":"Cannon","slug":"cannon"},{"displayForm":"cannon","slug":"cannon"},{"displayForm":"sacking","slug":"sacking"},{"displayForm":"sacring","slug":"sacring"},{"displayForm":"Scandian","slug":"scandian"},{"displayForm":"scansion","slug":"scansion"},{"displayForm":"Sining","slug":"sining"},{"displayForm":"canine","slug":"canine"},{"displayForm":"screening","slug":"screening"},{"displayForm":"sinking","slug":"sinking"},{"displayForm":"Corning","slug":"corning"},{"displayForm":"gunning","slug":"gunning"},{"displayForm":"kenning","slug":"kenning"},{"displayForm":"sarking","slug":"sarking"},{"displayForm":"scanner","slug":"scanner"},{"displayForm":"sign in","slug":"sign-in"},{"displayForm":"sign-in","slug":"sign-in"},{"displayForm":"sea king","slug":"sea-king"},{"displayForm":"Sun King","slug":"sun--king"}],"tunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"microscopic","slug":"microscopic"},{"displayForm":"microsleep","slug":"microsleep"},{"displayForm":"macroscopic","slug":"macroscopic"},{"displayForm":"gyroscope","slug":"gyroscope"},{"displayForm":"micros","slug":"micros"},{"displayForm":"micro","slug":"micro"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"scanning-probe-microscope"},"requestId":"n7YAkbs44oWIuGFgIgBXQ","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}}]},"actionData":null,"errors":null}

scanning probe microscope

Word of the Day