Sinuous is a six-letter word that's often misspelled due to its tricky phonetic makeup. The correct pronunciation of sinuous is [ˈsɪnjuəs], with the "s" taking on a "z" sound that's commonly found in American English. The "uo" combination in the middle of the word can be confusing, but it's pronounced as a "yoo" sound. The final "ous" spells the same sound as "us" and "uss." Once you grasp the phonetic transcription, the spelling of sinuous becomes less daunting.
Sinuous is an adjective that describes something that has a winding or curving path or shape. It is often used to convey the idea of a series of smooth, flowing, or undulating curves. The word originates from the Latin word "sinuosus," which means full of curves or bends.
When applied to physical objects or landscapes, sinuous can refer to a meandering river, a winding road, or a serpentine path. It suggests a sense of graceful movement and flexibility, as if the object or path is able to adjust smoothly to its surroundings. The sinuous nature of these objects often adds an element of natural beauty and intrigue.
Sinuous can also describe the behavior or movement of living things. For example, a sinuous snake moves by weaving its body in a distinctive s-shaped pattern. This term implies a certain agility, sleekness, or lithe quality in the creature's movements. Additionally, sinuous can be used metaphorically to describe thought processes or artistic styles that are characterized by complexity or indirectness.
Overall, sinuous encompasses the notion of graceful fluidity, whether in relation to physical forms and structures or the behavior and expression of living creatures and creative endeavors.
Tortuous, bending in several directions.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Bending in and out; undulating.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "sinuous" comes from the Latin word "sinuosus", which means "full of windings or bends". It is derived from the Latin verb "sinuare", meaning "to bend in and out", and ultimately from the noun "sinus", which means "a bend or curve". The term "sinuosus" was later borrowed into Middle English as "sinuous", retaining its original meaning of having many curves or winding paths.