convoluted

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌkɑnvəˈlutəd/ UK /ˌkɒnvəˈl(j)uːtɪd/ See IPA manual

Freq #40286

Meanings

1

adj
Extremely complicated and difficult to follow.

He gave a convoluted explanation that no one could understand.
2

adj
Twisted or folded in many overlapping coils.

The shell had a convoluted, spiral surface.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · extremely complicated and... complex complicated intricate involved knotty

2 adj · twisted or folded in many... convolute tortuous

Word family

Derived forms convolutedlyconvolutednesssubconvolutedunconvoluted

Related forms convolute convolutionconvolve

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Proto-Indo-European *welH-der. Proto-Italic *wolwō Latin volvō Latin convolvō Latin convolūtusbor. English convolute English -d English convoluted From convolute + -d.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

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# convoluted

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌkɑnvəˈlutəd/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌkɒnvəˈl(j)uːtɪd/
**Frequency rank:** 40286

## Meanings
1. Extremely complicated and difficult to follow.
2. Twisted or folded in many overlapping coils.

## Examples
- He gave a convoluted explanation that no one could understand.
- The shell had a convoluted, spiral surface.

## Derived Forms
- convolutedly
- convolutedness
- subconvoluted
- unconvoluted

## Related Forms
- convolute
- convolution
- convolve

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Proto-Indo-European *welH-der. Proto-Italic *wolwō Latin volvō Latin convolvō Latin convolūtusbor. English convolute English -d English convoluted From convolute + -d.

## AI Etymology
Convoluted is from convolute + -d. The older chain passes through Proto-Indo-European *ḱe > Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm > Proto-Italic *kom > Proto-Italic *kom- > Latin con- > Proto-Indo-European *welH- > Proto-Italic *wolwō > Latin volvō. In present-day use, it can mean extremely complicated and difficult to follow, or twisted or folded in many overlapping coils. Derived formations include convolutedly, convolutedness, subconvoluted, and unconvoluted.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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convoluted

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