involution

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Derived terms 1.3.2 See also 1.3.3 Translations

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From Latin involutio, from volvere ‘to roll’.

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɪnvə'lu:ʃən/
• Rhymes: -uːʃən

[edit] Noun

involution (plural involutions)

1. entanglement; a spiralling inwards; intricacy

   • 1968: ‘Gomez,’ said the mortician, ‘is an expert only on the involutions of his own rectum.’ — Anthony Burgess, Enderby Outside

2. (mathematics) An endofunction whose square is equal to the identity function; a function equal to its inverse.
3. (physiology) The regressive changes in the body occurring with old age.
4. (mathematics, obsolete) A power: the result of raising one number to the power of another.

[edit] Derived terms

• involutional
• involutionary

[edit] See also

• dual
• selfdual

[edit] Translations

• Italian: involuzione it(it)