sinuous

/ˈsɪn.ju.əs/

//ˈsɪn.ju.əs// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"sinuous" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“sinuous” is an uncommon English word, ranked #51,994 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#51,994
frequency rank, English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Having curves in alternate directions; meandering.

Key facts for sinuous
PropertyValue
Headwordsinuous
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈsɪn.ju.əs/
Letters7
Frequency rank#51,994
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “sinuous” 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). sinuous lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for sinuous is 7 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈsɪn.ju.əs/. Corpus data places it at rank #51,994 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

sinuous has no tracked misspelling variants, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Learned borrowing from Latin sinuōsus. The correct English form is sinuous, spelled S-I-N-U-O-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Having curves in alternate directions; meandering.
  2. 2
    Moving gracefully and in a supple manner.
  3. 3
    Morally crooked; shifty.

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin sinuōsus.

This word in other languages

sinuoso(Español)sinueux(Français)kurvenreich(Deutsch)sinuoso(Português)

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 "sinuous"?
"sinuous" is spelled S-I-N-U-O-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɪn.ju.əs/.
What does "sinuous" mean?
As an adjective, "sinuous" means: Having curves in alternate directions; meandering.
How do you pronounce "sinuous"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "sinuous" is /ˈsɪn.ju.əs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "sinuous"?
Learned borrowing from Latin sinuōsus. See the full etymology section above for more details.
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 “sinuous”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-I-N-U-O-U-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈsɪn.ju.əs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
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.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list