Curlicue
noun, verb
noun, verb ·3 syllables ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A fancy twisting or curling shape usually made from a series of spirals and loops.
"I put in plenty of curlicues after the figures so that no one could raise the check into $400,000; then I got out my old rattan suit case and put in some clothes."
- 2 a short twisting line wordnet
- 3 a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals) wordnet
Verb
- 1 To make or adorn (something) with curlicues, or as if with curlicues. intransitive, transitive
"A chandelier the shape of an anchor, hanging over Smith's head as he passed out through this vestibule. Walls curlicued with comb marks of some fancy plasterer."
Example
More examples"I put in plenty of curlicues after the figures so that no one could raise the check into $400,000; then I got out my old rattan suit case and put in some clothes."
Etymology
From curly + cue.
Related phrases
More for "curlicue"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.