contortion
contortion Lexical Profile
contortion Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A twisted, bent, or unnatural shape, posture, or facial expression, or the act of twisting something out of its normal form.
"The acrobat amazed the audience with her graceful contortions on the high wire."
A convoluted or strained manipulation of facts, logic, or rules to achieve a desired result.
"The committee had to go through extraordinary legal contortions to justify the sudden policy change."
A performance art in which a physical performer showcases extreme flexibility by bending and twisting their body into unusual postures.
"She trained in gymnastics for years before specializing in the art of contortion."
• Rhymes for contortion
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 16th century from Middle French or directly from Latin contortionem, a noun of action from contorquere ('to twist or whirl together'), composed of com- ('together') and torquere ('to twist').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.