I. ˈkän-ˌtu̇r noun
Etymology: French, from Italian contorno, from contornare to round off, from Medieval Latin, to turn around, from Latin com- + tornare to turn on a lathe — more at turn
Date: 1662
1. : an outline especially of a curving or irregular figure : shape ; also : the line representing this outline
2. : the general form or structure of something : characteristic — often used in plural
contour s of a melody
to delineate the tortured psychological contour s of the tribal past — B. J. Phillips
3. : a usually meaningful change in intonation in speech
Synonyms: see outline
II. adjective
Date: 1844
1. : following contour lines or forming furrows or ridges along them
contour flooding
contour farming
2. : made to fit the contour of something
a contour couch
contour sheets
III. transitive verb
Date: 1871
1.
a. : to shape the contour of
b. : to shape so as to fit contours
2. : to construct (as a road) in conformity to a contour