contortion Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the act of twisting or deforming the shape of something (e.g., yourself)
    deformation.
  2. noun a tortuous and twisted shape or position
    tortuousness; crookedness; tortuosity; torsion.
    • they built a tree house in the tortuosities of its boughs
    • the acrobat performed incredible contortions

WordNet

Con*tor"tion noun
Etymology
L. contortio: cf. F. contorsion. See Contort, and cf. Torsion.
Definitions
  1. A twisting; a writhing; wry motion; a twist; as, the contortion of the muscles of the face. Swift.
    All the contortions of the sibyl, without the inspiration. Burke.

Webster 1913