sinuous

adjective

sin·​u·​ous ˈsin-yə-wəs 

-yü-əs

1

a

: of a serpentine or wavy form : winding

b

: marked by strong lithe movements

2

: intricate, complex

sinuously adverb

sinuousness noun

Did you know?

Although it probably makes you think more of snakes than head colds, sinuous is etymologically more like sinus than serpent. Sinuous and sinus both derive from the Latin noun sinus, which means "curve, fold, or hollow." Other sinus descendants include insinuate ("to impart or suggest in an artful or indirect way") and two terms you might remember from math class: sine and cosine. In English, sinus is the oldest of these words; it entered the language in the 1400s. Insinuate appeared next, in the early 1500s, and was followed by sinuous and sine in the latter half of the 1500s, and cosine in the 1600s. Serpent, by the way, entered English in the 13th century and comes from the Latin verb serpere, meaning "to creep."

Synonyms of sinuous

• curved
• winding
• curving
• serpentine
• twisted
• twisting

Examples of sinuous in a Sentence

She moved with sinuous grace.

the river flowed in a sinuous path through the lush valley

Recent Examples on the Web

The sleek nearby kitchen has a long, sinuous island and a casual dining spot, and the secondary kitchen reinforces the house’s ability to support hospitality on a grand scale while remaining a comfortable place to live. — Mark David, Robb Report, 11 Aug. 2026

Several symbolic scenes, similarly unfolding in sinuous long takes—a ritualistic repetition of local habits at the junk yard, a formal dance of non-seduction at a luncheonette with a jukebox—lay bare the town’s ingrained and unyielding mores. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2026

The instruments and rhythms dance with Lenae’s sinuous vocals, nudging her into odd pockets, uplifting her notes. — Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 7 Aug. 2026

The collared top, which also included two flap breast pockets, was given a business casual edge with a slightly oversize black blazer, featuring a sinuous lapel and rounded shoulders. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 29 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin sinuosus, from sinus

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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Kids Definition

sinuous

adjective

sin·​u·​ous ˈsin-yə-wəs 

: of a snakelike or wavy form : winding

sinuously adverb