WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
cir•cum•vo•lu•tion
(sûr′kəm və lo̅o̅′shən),USA pronunciation n.
cir•cum•vo•lu•to•ry
(sur′kəm və lo̅o̅′tə rē),USA pronunciation adj.
- the act of rolling or turning around:planetary circumvolution.
- a single complete turn or cycle.
- a winding or folding about something:the circumvolutions of a boa.
- a fold so wound:the circumvolution of a snail shell.
- a winding in a sinuous course; a sinuosity:the circumvolutions of the river.
- a roundabout course or procedure, or an instance of such:The speaker's circumvolutions bored the audience to tears.
- Medieval Latin circumvolūtiōn- (stem of circumvolūtiō), equivalent. to Latin circumvolūt(us) (past participle of circumvolvere to circumvolve) (circum- circum- + volū- past participle stem of volvere to roll + -tus past participle suffix) + -iōn- -ion
- late Middle English 1400–50