convolute

English

WOTD – 9 July 2006

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

Borrowed from Latin convolūtum, past participle of convolvere (“to roll together”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌkɒnvəˈluːt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌkɑːnvəˈluːt/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Audio (Australia):

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• Rhymes: -uːt

Verb

convolute (third-person singular simple present convolutes, present participle convoluting, simple past and past participle convoluted)

1. (transitive) To make unnecessarily complex.
2. (transitive) To fold or coil into numerous overlapping layers.

   The snake's coils were tightly convoluted.

3. (transitive) To confuse, mix up (something) with something else.

Quotations

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:convolute.

Derived terms

• convoluted
• convolutive
• deconvolute
• subconvolute

Related terms

• convolution
• convolve

Translations

to fold or coil — see also convolve

• Bulgarian: завивам (bg) (zavivam)
• Māori: whakakōiro
• Polish: zwijać (pl) impf, zwinąć (pl) pf, skręcać (pl) impf, skręcić (pl) pf

to confuse, mix up

• Māori: whakakōiro
• Spanish: enrevesar (es)

Adjective

convolute (comparative more convolute, superlative most convolute)

1. Convoluted.
2. (botany, of a leaf) Coiled such that one edge is inside, and one outside the coil, giving a spiral effect in cross section.

   Hypernym: imbricate

Derived terms

• convolutely

Latin

Participle

convolūte

1. vocative masculine singular of convolūtus