First recorded in 1350–1400.
Comes via Middle English from the Latin word tortuōsus, which derives from the verb torquēre, “to twist, bend.”
Sign up for more Word of the Day!

\r\nEXAMPLES OF TORTUOUS\r\n

The tortuous road through the mountains made for a challenging but scenic drive.
The author's writing style was known for its elegant prose and tortuous plot twists.

\r\nIt's National Poetry Month, and we’ve created a challenge that really is for everyone. Submit now!","audio":"https://static.sfdict.com/audio/T03/T0390200.mp3","definitions":[{"partofspeech":"adjective","data":"full of twists, turns, or bends; twisting, winding, or crooked."}],"examples":[],"imageUrl":"https://www.dictionary.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/tortuous_IG.png","accentColor":"#0063D7"}},"status":"succeeded"}},"meta":{"requestId":"VEcsiUQ2kKoTxaCiTBsd8","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchWordsNearby/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"before":[{"slug":"balefire","entry":"balefire"},{"slug":"baleful","entry":"baleful"},{"slug":"balenciaga","entry":"Balenciaga"},{"slug":"baler","entry":"baler"},{"slug":"balestra","entry":"balestra"}],"after":[{"slug":"balfour","entry":"Balfour"},{"slug":"balfour-declaration","entry":"Balfour Declaration"},{"slug":"bali","entry":"Bali"},{"slug":"balibuntal","entry":"balibuntal"},{"slug":"balikpapan","entry":"Balikpapan"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"Balewa"},"requestId":"MCobZEpU9BYpyLjWK1JO2","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"luna/fetchExampleSentences/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"tdb":[],"gbg":[]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"Balewa"},"requestId":"SaRlJuot6OH_S2wVUkyl1","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchDictionaryResults/fulfilled","payload":{"slugs":[{"entries":[{"__typename":"Entry","audioPronunciations":[{"mpeg":"https://nonprod-audio.dictionary.com/B00/B0054200/B0054200.mp3"}],"confusableNotes":[],"genderNotes":[],"grammarNotes":[],"headword":{"displayForm":"Balewa","slug":"balewa"},"idioms":[],"orderKey":99999010,"ordinal":10,"origin":null,"partOfSpeechBlock":[{"definitions":[{"antonymsConnection":{"edges":[]},"definitionSetChunks":"[{\"text\": \"Sir A\\u00b7bu\\u00b7ba\\u00b7kar Ta\\u00b7fa\\u00b7wa\", \"type\": \"name\"}, {\"type\": \"pronunciation_set\", \"punc\": \"comma\", \"pointsTo\": \"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e5cd310.-f8a\", \"pronunciationGroupChunks\": [{\"type\": \"pronunciation_group\", \"punc\": \"comma\", \"pointsTo\": \"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e5cd310.-f89\", \"ipaChunks\": [{\"text\": \"\\u02c8s\\u026ar \\u02cc\\u0251 bu\\u02c8b\\u0251 k\\u0251r t\\u0251\\u02c8f\\u0251 w\\u0251\", \"type\": \"text\", \"pointsTo\": \"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e5cd310.-f88\"}], \"spellChunks\": [{\"text\": \"sir\", \"type\": \"bold\", \"pointsTo\": \"u42f8a35e741b3677.2da16b7c.1837ea2c8dc.-5768\"}, {\"text\": \" ah-boo-\", \"type\": \"text\"}, {\"text\": \"bah\", \"type\": \"bold\", \"pointsTo\": \"u42f8a35e741b3677.2da16b7c.1837ea2c8dc.-5767\"}, {\"text\": \"-kahr tah-\", \"type\": \"text\"}, {\"text\": \"fah\", \"type\": \"bold\", \"pointsTo\": \"u42f8a35e741b3677.2da16b7c.1837ea2c8dc.-5766\"}, {\"text\": \"-wah\", \"type\": \"text\"}]}, {\"type\": \"pronunciation_group\", \"pointsTo\": \"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e5cd310.-f84\", \"ipaChunks\": [{\"text\": \"\\u0251\\u02c8bu b\\u0251\\u02cck\\u0251r\", \"type\": \"text\", \"pointsTo\": \"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e5cd310.-f83\"}], \"spellChunks\": [{\"text\": \"ah-\", \"type\": \"text\"}, {\"text\": \"boo\", \"type\": \"bold\", \"pointsTo\": \"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e5cd310.-f81\"}, {\"text\": \"-bah-kahr\", \"type\": \"text\"}]}]}, {\"text\": \"1912\\u201366,\", \"type\": \"date\"}, {\"type\": \"def\", \"children\": [{\"text\": \"Nigerian statesman: prime minister 1957\\u201366.\", \"type\": \"text\"}]}]","examples":[],"ordinal":1,"subdefinitions":[],"synonymsConnection":{"edges":[]}}],"inflectionSets":[],"labelSet":null,"ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"noun"}],"pronunciationNotes":[],"pronunciationSet":{"pronunciationSetChunk":"{\"type\": \"pronunciation_set\", \"pointsTo\": \"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e5cd310.-f98\", \"pronunciationGroupChunks\": [{\"type\": \"pronunciation_group\", \"pointsTo\": \"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e5cd310.-f97\", \"ipaChunks\": [{\"text\": \"\\u02ccb\\u0251 le\\u026a\\u02c8w\\u0251\", \"type\": \"text\", \"pointsTo\": \"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e5cd310.-f96\"}], \"spellChunks\": [{\"text\": \"bah-ley-\", \"type\": \"text\"}, {\"text\": \"wah\", \"type\": \"bold\", \"pointsTo\": \"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e5cd310.-f94\"}]}]}"},"relatedFormSets":[],"sensitiveNotes":[],"spellingNotes":[],"synonymStudy":[],"usageAlerts":[],"usageNotes":[],"variants":[],"verbPhrases":[]}],"url":"balewa"}]},"meta":{"arg":{"slug":"balewa"},"requestId":"V3bZiAs4OE36ACRx1ewhb","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchResultsData/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"url":"balewa","displayForm":"Balewa","canonicalSlug":"balewa","content":[{"source":"luna","entries":[{"id":"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e5cd310.-f9c","type":"normal","entry":"Balewa","entrySyllabified":"Ba·le·wa","entryVariants":[],"homograph":null,"pronunciation":{"ipa":"ˌbɑ leɪˈwɑ ","spell":"bah-ley-wah ","audio":{"audio/ogg":"https://static.sfdict.com/audio/lunawav/B00/B0054200.ogg","audio/mpeg":"https://static.sfdict.com/audio/B00/B0054200.mp3"}},"predefinitionContent":"","posBlocks":[{"definitions":[{"order":1,"type":"simple","predefinitionContent":"Sir A·bu·ba·kar Ta·fa·wa

[sir-ah-boo-bah-kahr tah-fah-wah, ah-boo-bah-kahr], /ˈsɪr ˌɑ buˈbɑ kɑr tɑˈfɑ wɑ, ɑˈbu bɑˌkɑr/, 1912–66,","postdefinitionContent":"","definition":"Nigerian statesman: prime minister 1957–66.","synonyms":"","antonyms":"","cites":[]}],"pos":"noun","posSupplementaryInfo":""}],"origin":null,"originData":null,"supplementaryNotes":[],"variantForms":[],"variantSpellings":[],"referenceData":[],"relatedForms":[],"confusables":[]}]}],"nearbyWordOrdinal":12385,"index-rank-01":["balewa"],"index-rank-02":[],"index-rank-03":[],"index-rank-04":["balewa's"],"index-rank-05":[],"index-rank-06":["abubakar balewa","abubakar tafawa balewa","abubakar tafawa, sir","abubakar tafawa, sir balewa","balewa, sir","sir abubakar tafawa","sir abubakar tafawa balewa","sir balewa"],"index-rank-07":[],"index-rank-08":[],"index-rank-09":[],"index-rank-10":[],"index-rank-11":[],"index-rank-12":[],"index-rank-13":[],"index-rank-14":[],"index-rank-15":[],"tunaSlug":null,"isFeaturedMetaSlug":false}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"Balewa"},"requestId":"mvXS4G06JQxcqgdwR7NQw","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchSpellSuggestions/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"luna":["Balewa","Bala","Bâle","bale","blew","Bulwer","baleen","Balla","baler","BALPA","Batwa","balsa","malwa","blaes","Balboa","bailee","balata","balboa","Bela","bael","blae","blaw","blower","cableway","Bayle","Beale","balao","blear","Balak","alway","balas","bleak","bleat","BAL","Bella","Blaeu","bal","bylaw","belga","Bailey","Barlow","bailey","baller","barley","barlow","blewit","Bal.","Bali","Ball","Biwa","bal.","ball","bawl","bile","blow","bola","bole","bule","bay leaf","-ble","B.L.A.","B.L.E."],"tuna":["bales","bale","blew","baleen","baled","balsa","blower","blear","bleak","bleat","bylaw","barley","bailed","ballad","ballet","balls","bleed","bleep","bless","blows","ball","bawl","bile","blow","bola","bole","bald","balk","balm","bleb","bled","beltway","hallway","below","blowy","bulla","balky","balmy","blown","back way","by law","boil away","blew in","blew up","be alert"],"lunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"Balewa","slug":"balewa"},{"displayForm":"Bala","slug":"bala"},{"displayForm":"Bâle","slug":"bale"},{"displayForm":"bale","slug":"bale"},{"displayForm":"blew","slug":"blew"},{"displayForm":"Bulwer","slug":"bulwer"},{"displayForm":"baleen","slug":"baleen"},{"displayForm":"Balla","slug":"balla"},{"displayForm":"baler","slug":"baler"},{"displayForm":"BALPA","slug":"balpa"},{"displayForm":"Batwa","slug":"batwa"},{"displayForm":"balsa","slug":"balsa"},{"displayForm":"malwa","slug":"malwa"},{"displayForm":"blaes","slug":"blaes"},{"displayForm":"Balboa","slug":"balboa"},{"displayForm":"bailee","slug":"bailee"},{"displayForm":"balata","slug":"balata"},{"displayForm":"balboa","slug":"balboa"},{"displayForm":"Bela","slug":"bela"},{"displayForm":"bael","slug":"bael"},{"displayForm":"blae","slug":"blae"},{"displayForm":"blaw","slug":"blaw"},{"displayForm":"blower","slug":"blower"},{"displayForm":"cableway","slug":"cableway"},{"displayForm":"Bayle","slug":"bayle"},{"displayForm":"Beale","slug":"beale"},{"displayForm":"balao","slug":"balao"},{"displayForm":"blear","slug":"blear"},{"displayForm":"Balak","slug":"balak"},{"displayForm":"alway","slug":"alway"},{"displayForm":"balas","slug":"balas"},{"displayForm":"bleak","slug":"bleak"},{"displayForm":"bleat","slug":"bleat"},{"displayForm":"BAL","slug":"bal"},{"displayForm":"Bella","slug":"bella"},{"displayForm":"Blaeu","slug":"blaeu"},{"displayForm":"bal","slug":"bal"},{"displayForm":"bylaw","slug":"bylaw"},{"displayForm":"belga","slug":"belga"},{"displayForm":"Bailey","slug":"bailey"},{"displayForm":"Barlow","slug":"barlow"},{"displayForm":"bailey","slug":"bailey"},{"displayForm":"baller","slug":"baller"},{"displayForm":"barley","slug":"barley"},{"displayForm":"barlow","slug":"barlow"},{"displayForm":"blewit","slug":"blewit"},{"displayForm":"Bal.","slug":"bal"},{"displayForm":"Bali","slug":"bali"},{"displayForm":"Ball","slug":"ball"},{"displayForm":"Biwa","slug":"biwa"},{"displayForm":"bal.","slug":"bal"},{"displayForm":"ball","slug":"ball"},{"displayForm":"bawl","slug":"bawl"},{"displayForm":"bile","slug":"bile"},{"displayForm":"blow","slug":"blow"},{"displayForm":"bola","slug":"bola"},{"displayForm":"bole","slug":"bole"},{"displayForm":"bule","slug":"bule"},{"displayForm":"bay leaf","slug":"bay-leaf"},{"displayForm":"-ble","slug":"-ble"},{"displayForm":"B.L.A.","slug":"b-l-a"},{"displayForm":"B.L.E.","slug":"-ble"}],"tunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"bales","slug":"bales"},{"displayForm":"bale","slug":"bale"},{"displayForm":"blew","slug":"blew"},{"displayForm":"baleen","slug":"baleen"},{"displayForm":"baled","slug":"baled"},{"displayForm":"balsa","slug":"balsa"},{"displayForm":"blower","slug":"blower"},{"displayForm":"blear","slug":"blear"},{"displayForm":"bleak","slug":"bleak"},{"displayForm":"bleat","slug":"bleat"},{"displayForm":"bylaw","slug":"bylaw"},{"displayForm":"barley","slug":"barley"},{"displayForm":"bailed","slug":"bailed"},{"displayForm":"ballad","slug":"ballad"},{"displayForm":"ballet","slug":"ballet"},{"displayForm":"balls","slug":"balls"},{"displayForm":"bleed","slug":"bleed"},{"displayForm":"bleep","slug":"bleep"},{"displayForm":"bless","slug":"bless"},{"displayForm":"blows","slug":"blows"},{"displayForm":"ball","slug":"ball"},{"displayForm":"bawl","slug":"bawl"},{"displayForm":"bile","slug":"bile"},{"displayForm":"blow","slug":"blow"},{"displayForm":"bola","slug":"bola"},{"displayForm":"bole","slug":"bole"},{"displayForm":"bald","slug":"bald"},{"displayForm":"balk","slug":"balk"},{"displayForm":"balm","slug":"balm"},{"displayForm":"bleb","slug":"bleb"},{"displayForm":"bled","slug":"bled"},{"displayForm":"beltway","slug":"beltway"},{"displayForm":"hallway","slug":"hallway"},{"displayForm":"below","slug":"below"},{"displayForm":"blowy","slug":"blowy"},{"displayForm":"bulla","slug":"bulla"},{"displayForm":"balky","slug":"balky"},{"displayForm":"balmy","slug":"balmy"},{"displayForm":"blown","slug":"blown"},{"displayForm":"back way","slug":"back%20way"},{"displayForm":"by law","slug":"by%20law"},{"displayForm":"boil away","slug":"boil%20away"},{"displayForm":"blew in","slug":"blew%20in"},{"displayForm":"blew up","slug":"blew%20up"},{"displayForm":"be alert","slug":"be%20alert"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"Balewa"},"requestId":"hTPGXY-kcFCJWeSvQCz5O","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}}]},"actionData":null,"errors":null}

Balewa

noun

Word of the Day