Incurvate

//ˈɪŋkə(ɹ)vɪt// adj, verb

adj, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To bend (especially inwards); to give a curved shape to. transitive

    "Mr. Flamsteed's measures were taken with a micrometer that pinches or clasps the opposite edges of a planet which would incurvate the rays one way"

  2. 2
    cause to curve inward wordnet
  3. 3
    to have a curved or bent shape; to bend or curve inwards. intransitive
  4. 4
    bend inwards wordnet
Adjective
  1. 1
    bending inwards.

    "He noted that the flower's petals were incurvate."

  2. 2
    Curved; bent; crooked.
Adjective
  1. 1
    bent into or having an inward curve wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
archbendbendbentbillowybow

Example

More examples

"He noted that the flower's petals were incurvate."

Etymology

The verb is first attested in 1578, the adjective in 1647; borrowed from Latin incurvātus, perfect passive participle of incurvō, see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and -ate (verb-forming suffix).

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.