convolution

Name: convolution, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

noun

By PlainSpell · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“convolution” is uncommon English (frequency #54,706 among 43,570 “C” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#54,706
frequency rank, English: 43,570
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A twist or fold.

Key facts for convolution
Property	Value
Headword	convolution
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
Letters	11
Frequency rank	#54,706
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “convolution” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). convolution lands here:

#54,706

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

convolution is uncommon English at frequency #54,706 among 43,570 “C” headwords, classed as anoun. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 7 senses are on record.

convolution has no tracked misspelling variants, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin convolutus (“to roll together”), past participle of convolvere, from con- + volvere (“to roll”), with the suffix -tion. Equivalent to convolute + -ion. The mathematical sense is a semantic calque from Faltung. The correct English form is convolution, spelled C-O-N-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N.

Definition

1
A twist or fold.
2
Any of the folds on the surface of the brain.
3
The shape of something rotating; a vortex.
4
The state or condition of being convoluted.
5
A mathematical operation on two functions that produces a third that expresses how the shape of one is modified by the other; the integral of the product of the two functions after one is reflected about the y-axis and shifted along the x-axis.
6
A function which maps a tuple of sequences into a sequence of tuples.
7
One 360° turn in a spring or similar helix.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin convolutus (“to roll together”), past participle of convolvere, from con- + volvere (“to roll”), with the suffix -tion. Equivalent to convolute + -ion. The mathematical sense is a semantic calque from Faltung.

This word in other languages

convolución(Español)circonvolution(Français)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "convolution"?

"convolution" is spelled C-O-N-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N.

What does "convolution" mean?

As a noun, "convolution" means: A twist or fold.

What is the origin of the word "convolution"?

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “convolution”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is C-O-N-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.