Definitions for: Involution


[n] the action of enfolding something
[n] the process of raising a quantity to some assigned power
[n] marked by elaborately complex detail
[n] a long and intricate and complicated grammatical construction
[n] reduction in size of an organ or part (as in the return of the uterus to normal size after childbirth)



Webster (1913) Definition: In`vo*lu"tion, n. [L. involutio: cf. F. involution.
See Involve.]
1. The act of involving or infolding.

2. The state of being entangled or involved; complication;
entanglement.

All things are mixed, and causes blended, by mutual
involutions. --Glanvill.

3. That in which anything is involved, folded, or wrapped;
envelope. --Sir T. Browne.

4. (Gram.) The insertion of one or more clauses between the
subject and the verb, in a way that involves or
complicates the construction.

5. (Math.) The act or process of raising a quantity to any
power assigned; the multiplication of a quantity into
itself a given number of times; -- the reverse of
evolution.

6. (Geom.) The relation which exists between three or more
sets of points, a.a', b.b', c.c', so related to a point O
on the line, that the product Oa.Oa' = Ob.Ob' = Oc.Oc' is
constant. Sets of lines or surfaces possessing
corresponding properties may be in involution.

7. (Med.) The return of an enlarged part or organ to its
normal size, as of the uterus after pregnancy.

Synonyms: elaborateness, elaboration, enfolding, exponentiation, intricacy

See Also: biological process, change of shape, complexity, complexness, construction, expression, grammatical construction, mathematical operation, mathematical process, operation, organic process

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