English
convoluted
Convoluted comes from Latin convolūtus ‘coiled’, from convolvō ‘to roll together, up or around’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *welH-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*welH-‘to roll, to undulate’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*wolwōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvolvō‘to roll, tumble’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEconvolvō‘to roll together, up or around’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEconvolūtus‘coiled’
- English1500–presentconvolute
- Englishearliest quotation 1683convoluted
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*welH-‘to roll, to undulate’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*wolwōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvolvō‘to roll, tumble’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEconvolvō‘to roll together, up or around’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEconvolūtus‘coiled’
- English1500–presentconvolute
- Englishearliest quotation 1683convoluted
Earliest quotation: 1683, Edward Tyson, Oxford: Printed at the Theater: “[B]y the means of theſe hooks, and Spikes it…”
A compound of convolute + -ed
Proto-Indo-European *welH- ‘to roll, to undulate’
Proto-Italic *wolwō
Latin volvō ‘roll’
Latin convolvō ‘to roll together’
Latin convolūtum
English convolute
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *welH- ‘to roll, to undulate’
well, walk, wall, valve, vulgar, waltz, helix, divulge, vagrant, wale, gauche, iliac, vulgate, ilium, valvular, valise, 74 more
through Proto-Italic *wolwō
revolve, devolve, devolution, 42 more
through Latin volvō ‘to roll, tumble’
volume, vault, revolution, involve, evolution, evolve, revolt, vulva, voluminous, voluble, involution, 45 more
Today it means
adj Having numerous overlapping coils or folds; convolute.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *welH- / convoluted