involute

US: (adj., n. in′və lo̅o̅t′; v. in′və lo̅o̅t′, in′və lo̅o̅t′)

Inflections of 'involute' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

involutes

v 3rd person singular

involuting

v pres p

involuted

v past

involuted

v past p

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

in•vo•lute  (adj., n. in′və lo̅o̅t′;v. in′və lo̅o̅t′, in′və lo̅o̅t′), adj., n., v., -lut•ed, -lut•ing. 
adj. 

1. intricate;
   complex.
2. curled or curved inward or spirally.
3. Biology [Bot.] rolled inward from the edge, as a leaf.
4. Zoology (of shells) having the whorls closely wound.

n. 

5. Mathematics [Geom.] any curve of which a given curve is the evolute.

v.i. 

6. to roll or curl up;
   become involute.
7. to return to a normal shape, size, or state.

• Latin involūtus (past participle of involvere to roll up, wrap, cover), equivalent. to in- in-² + volū- (variant stem of volvere to roll) + -tus past participle suffix; compare involve
• 1655–65

in′vo•lute′ly, adv. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

involute adjective / ˈɪnvəˌluːt/
also: involuted / ˌɪnvəˈluːtɪd/

1. complex, intricate, or involved
2. (esp of petals, leaves, etc, in bud) having margins that are rolled inwards
3. (of certain shells) closely coiled so that the axis is obscured

noun / ˈɪnvəˌluːt/

1. the curve described by the free end of a thread as it is wound around another curve, the evolute, such that its normals are tangential to the evolute
   See also evolute

verb / ˌɪnvəˈluːt/

1. (intransitive) to become involute

Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin involūtus, from involvere; see involve

ˈinvoˌlutely adverb

ˌinvoˈlutedly adverb