contortion
noun
Forms contortions
- noun (countable) The act or result of contorting; the state of being contorted: the twisting of something, especially oneself.
- noun (uncountable) A performance art involving the dramatic bending and flexing of the body, showcasing extreme physical flexibility.
Synonyms
contortionism deformation tortuosity tortuousness torsion crookedness
Etymology
Derived from Middle French contortion, from Latin contortiō.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A twisting; a writhing; wry motion; a twist; as, the contortion of the muscles of the face. Swift.
Etymology [L. contortio: cf. F. contorsion. See Contort, and cf. Torsion.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “contortion”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details