anfractuous

/ænˈfræktʃuəs/
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Full of bends and turns, in space or in the course of an account.

Examples

  • Her account followed an anfractuous route through family history.
  • Can the survey trace these anfractuous cave passages?
  • The anfractuous path climbed through the gorge.
  • The novel moves through an anfractuous sequence of memories.
  • The river’s anfractuous course made mapping difficult.

Similar words

circuitous
serpentine
tortuous
sinuous
winding

Meanings

Winding and twisting

adjective
shape
literary
Following many turns rather than a straight course, literally or in a figurative description.

Examples

  • The anfractuous path climbed through the gorge.
  • The river’s anfractuous course made mapping difficult.
  • Her account followed an anfractuous route through family history.
  • Can the survey trace these anfractuous cave passages?
  • The novel moves through an anfractuous sequence of memories.

Similar words

Etymology

From Late Latin anfractuosus, based on Latin anfractus, a bending or turning.

FAQ

What does anfractuous mean?

Anfractuous means full of bends and turns.

When is anfractuous used?

It can describe a physical route or a figuratively winding account or argument.

How does anfractuous differ from winding?

Winding is everyday English. Anfractuous is literary and more unusual.

How is anfractuous used in a sentence?

The explorers followed an anfractuous path through the hills.

Is anfractuous formal?

Yes. It is a literary adjective rather than an everyday word.

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