anfractuous
/ænˈfɹæktʃʊəs/
anfractuous means sinuous, twisty, winding.
anfractuous is pronounced /ænˈfɹæktʃʊəs/.
Why “anfractuous” is a great word
Winding in a rugged, complex, three-dimensional manner, full of intricate turns and circuitous bends. From Late Latin *anfractuosus*, from Latin *anfractus* ("a bend, curve, coil"), built from *ambi-/an-* ("around") and *frangere* ("to break"), suggesting a path broken into fragments by its own relentless turning. Unlike "sinuous," which suggests the smooth, two-dimensional grace of a river, or "direct," which offers a clear, unobstructed course, anfractuous implies a labyrinthine, often tortuous geography. It is the claustrophobic switchback of a mountain goat trail, the route of a stream forced to carve through faulted granite, or the narrow staircase spiraling upward through a medieval tower—a testament that the most necessary paths are rarely the straightest.
Etymology
From Late Latin anfractuosus, from Latin anfractus (“bend, curve”).
adj
- sinuous, twisty, winding.“So intricate, ſo anfractuous, ſo unſearchable are the vvays of Providence.”
- craggy, rugged, coarse, rough, uneven.“Paint me the bold anfractuous rocks / Faced by the snarled and yelping seas.”
Words closest in meaning
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