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":"CBw-Y50IAPP3Ts3Vuz933","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchWordsNearby/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"before":[{"slug":"surgy","entry":"surgy"},{"slug":"suribachi","entry":"Suribachi"},{"slug":"suricate","entry":"suricate"},{"slug":"surimi","entry":"surimi"},{"slug":"surinam","entry":"Surinam"}],"after":[{"slug":"suriname","entry":"Suriname"},{"slug":"surinamese","entry":"Surinamese"},{"slug":"surinam-toad","entry":"Surinam toad"},{"slug":"surjection","entry":"surjection"},{"slug":"surjective","entry":"surjective"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"surinam-cherry"},"requestId":"E9RrGg5KB_Qc9wS9Uuh8q","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"luna/fetchExampleSentences/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"tdb":[],"gbg":[]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"surinam-cherry"},"requestId":"c3xXRHMKKOhDS88j31CVK","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchDictionaryResults/fulfilled","payload":{"slugs":[{"entries":[{"__typename":"Entry","audioPronunciations":[],"confusableNotes":[],"genderNotes":[],"grammarNotes":[],"headword":{"displayForm":"Surinam cherry","slug":"surinam-cherry"},"idioms":[],"orderKey":99999010,"ordinal":10,"origin":null,"partOfSpeechBlock":[{"definitions":[{"antonymsConnection":{"edges":[]},"definitionSetChunks":"[{\"type\": \"def\", \"children\": [{\"text\": \"a tropical American tree,\", \"type\": \"text\"}, {\"text\": \"Eugenia uniflora,\", \"type\": \"emphasis\"}, {\"text\": \"of the myrtle family, having ovate leaves and fragrant, white flowers.\", \"type\": \"text\"}]}]","examples":[],"ordinal":1,"subdefinitions":[],"synonymsConnection":{"edges":[]}},{"antonymsConnection":{"edges":[]},"definitionSetChunks":"[{\"type\": \"def\", \"children\": [{\"text\": \"the yellow or red cherrylike fruit of this tree.\", \"type\": \"text\"}]}]","examples":[],"ordinal":2,"subdefinitions":[],"synonymsConnection":{"edges":[]}}],"inflectionSets":[],"labelSet":null,"ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"noun"}],"pronunciationNotes":[],"pronunciationSet":null,"relatedFormSets":[],"sensitiveNotes":[],"spellingNotes":[],"synonymStudy":[],"usageAlerts":[],"usageNotes":[],"variants":[],"verbPhrases":[]}],"url":"surinam-cherry"}]},"meta":{"arg":{"slug":"surinam-cherry"},"requestId":"qnV0z2e4-m5gE_RjSafv_","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchResultsData/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"url":"surinam-cherry","displayForm":"Surinam cherry","canonicalSlug":"surinam-cherry","content":[{"source":"luna","entries":[{"id":"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e796d1c.-58d3","type":"normal","entry":"Surinam cherry","entrySyllabified":"Surinam cherry","entryVariants":[],"homograph":null,"pronunciation":null,"predefinitionContent":"","posBlocks":[{"definitions":[{"order":1,"type":"simple","predefinitionContent":"","postdefinitionContent":"","definition":"a tropical American tree, Eugenia uniflora, of the myrtle family, having ovate leaves and fragrant, white flowers.","synonyms":"","antonyms":"","cites":[]},{"order":2,"type":"simple","predefinitionContent":"","postdefinitionContent":"","definition":"the yellow or red cherrylike fruit of this tree.","synonyms":"","antonyms":"","cites":[]}],"pos":"noun","posSupplementaryInfo":""}],"origin":null,"originData":null,"supplementaryNotes":[],"variantForms":["Also called pitanga. "],"variantSpellings":[],"referenceData":[],"relatedForms":[],"confusables":[]}]}],"nearbyWordOrdinal":151479,"index-rank-01":["surinam cherry"],"index-rank-02":[],"index-rank-03":[],"index-rank-04":["surinam cherries","surinam cherries'","surinam cherry's"],"index-rank-05":[],"index-rank-06":[],"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":[],"categoryId":"433","complexityScore":0.5072705452375129,"gradeLevel":"college","tunaSlug":null,"isFeaturedMetaSlug":false}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"surinam-cherry"},"requestId":"vNdeyMPhZhIcwvlv4VS6j","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchSpellSuggestions/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"luna":["Surinam","Suriname"],"tuna":["surname","sur name","sur-name","siring","souring","serin","sirings","sourings","soring","sunroom","serum","siren","seriatim","searing","soaring","skin game"],"lunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"Surinam","slug":"surinam"},{"displayForm":"Suriname","slug":"suriname"}],"tunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"surname","slug":"surname"},{"displayForm":"sur name","slug":"sur%20name"},{"displayForm":"sur-name","slug":"sur-name"},{"displayForm":"siring","slug":"siring"},{"displayForm":"souring","slug":"souring"},{"displayForm":"serin","slug":"serin"},{"displayForm":"sirings","slug":"sirings"},{"displayForm":"sourings","slug":"sourings"},{"displayForm":"soring","slug":"soring"},{"displayForm":"sunroom","slug":"sunroom"},{"displayForm":"serum","slug":"serum"},{"displayForm":"siren","slug":"siren"},{"displayForm":"seriatim","slug":"seriatim"},{"displayForm":"searing","slug":"searing"},{"displayForm":"soaring","slug":"soaring"},{"displayForm":"skin game","slug":"skin%20game"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"surinam-cherry"},"requestId":"b9ObC6U6gUnIprCaAO3VZ","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}}]},"actionData":null,"errors":null}

Surinam cherry

noun

Word of the Day