DictionaryAI

tortuous

adjective
USTOR-choo-uhs/ˈtɔɹt͡ʃuəs/UKTAW-choo-uhs/ˈtɔːt͡ʃuːəs/

Often confused with torturous

3 meanings of tortuous

Practice

  1. 1
    adjectivefiguratively
    Having many twists and turns, like a winding road or a very complicated process.

    The path down to the lake was long and tortuous.

    Getting a new passport turned into a tortuous process of forms and phone calls.

    Similarwinding, twisting, convoluted, serpentine, meandering

    Oppositestraight, direct, straightforward

    Note
  2. 2
    adjective
    In astrology, used for the six star signs from Capricorn to Gemini, which rise quickly and at a slant.

    Aries is one of the tortuous signs because it rises quickly and at a slant.

    The astrologer said a tortuous sign was rising at the hour the baby was born.

    Similaroblique

    Note
  3. 3
    adjectiveobsolete
    Causing harm or doing wrong to someone.
    Note

Practice

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Origin

From a Latin word meaning "twisting" or "winding". It came into English through French.