involute

involute definition

in·vo·lute (in′və lo̵̅o̅t′)

adjective

intricate; involved
rolled up or curled in a spiral; having whorls wound closely around the axis involute shells
Bot. rolled inward at the edges involute leaves

Etymology: L involutus, pp. of involvere, involve

noun

Math.

the curve traced by any point of a taut string when it is wound upon or unwound from a fixed curve on the same plane with it
the locus of any fixed point on a moving tangent which rolls, but does not slide on a curve: correlative to evolute

intransitive verb involuted -·lut′ed, involuting -·lut′·ing

to become involute or undergo involution

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.