tortuous etymology

Etymology:

  • Latin: "tortuosus," meaning "crooked, winding"
  • Late Latin: "tortura," meaning "twisting, bending"
  • Proto-Indo-European root: "*terqъ-," meaning "to twist"

Meaning:

  • Twisting and turning, full of twists and bends
  • Figuratively: Difficult, intricate, or perplexing
  • Painful, agonizing, or causing distress

Origin:

The word "tortuous" originated in the Latin language, where it was used to describe something that was physically crooked or twisted. It later developed a figurative meaning, referring to something that was intellectually difficult or perplexing.

Over time, the word "tortuous" came to be associated with pain and suffering. This is likely due to the fact that physical pain often causes people to writhe and twist their bodies. The word is now often used to describe something that is mentally or emotionally painful.

tortuous relate terms

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