[ 'tɔ:tʃʊəs , -jʊəs ]
■ adjective
1》 full of twists and turns.
2》 excessively lengthy and complex.
Derivatives
tortuosity noun ( plural tortuosities ).
~ly adverb
~ness noun
Origin
ME: via OFr. from L. tortuosus , from tortus 'twisting, a twist', from L. torquere 'to twist'.
Usage
The words ~ and torturous have different core meanings. Tortuous means ‘full of twists and turns’ ( a ~ route ), while torturous means ‘characterized by pain or suffering’ ( a torturous five days of fitness training ).