sinuous

adjective

sin·​u·​ous ˈsin-yə-wəs 

-yü-əs

1

a

: of a serpentine or wavy form : winding

b

: marked by strong lithe movements

2

: intricate, complex

sinuously adverb

sinuousness noun

Did you know?

Although it probably makes you think more of snakes than head colds, sinuous is etymologically more like sinus than serpent. Sinuous and sinus both derive from the Latin noun sinus, which means "curve, fold, or hollow." Other sinus descendants include insinuate ("to impart or suggest in an artful or indirect way") and two terms you might remember from math class: sine and cosine. In English, sinus is the oldest of these words; it entered the language in the 1400s. Insinuate appeared next, in the early 1500s, and was followed by sinuous and sine in the latter half of the 1500s, and cosine in the 1600s. Serpent, by the way, entered English in the 13th century and comes from the Latin verb serpere, meaning "to creep."

Synonyms

• bending
• crazy
• crooked
• curled
• curling
• curved
• curving
• curvy
• devious
• serpentine
• tortuous
• twisted
• twisting
• winding
• windy

Examples of sinuous in a Sentence

She moved with sinuous grace.

the river flowed in a sinuous path through the lush valley

Recent Examples on the Web

Beneath a red sky, on a path with guardrails overlooking a swirling fjord, a sinuous man in all black, his hands raised in horror to his bald and skeletal head, screams. —Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Dec. 2024

In theory, the role of Sydney Prosser, the stripper turned swindler in David O. Russell’s sinuous crime comedy, begs for a big performance. —Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2024

The coat featured sinuous lapels contrasted by sharp shoulders. shop alexander mcqueen clothing The coat also included angular pockets and two buttons. —Julia Teti, WWD, 3 Dec. 2024

Loggins is a surprisingly versatile songwriter with a sinuous delivery and a knack for unpredictable funk. —Elias Leight, Billboard, 2 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin sinuosus, from sinus

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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Kids Definition

sinuous

adjective

sin·​u·​ous ˈsin-yə-wəs 

: of a snakelike or wavy form : winding

sinuously adverb