curlicue

1 a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles [syn: coil, whorl, roll, curl, ringlet, gyre, scroll]

2 a short twisting line [syn: squiggle]

English

Noun

1. A fancy twisting or curling shape made from a series of concentric circles

Derived terms

• curlicue fractal

A curlicue, or alternatively curlycue, in the visual arts, is a fancy twist, or curl, composed usually from a series of concentric circles. It is a recurring motif in architecture (as decoration to the lintel/architrave above a door), in calligraphy and in general scrollwork.

See also

• Scrollwork
• Calligraphy, in which curlicues are a frequent adornment of lavish text
• Sinhala script, the script used to write the Sinhala language, composed almost entirely of curlicues

cirrus, coil, corkscrew, curl, evolute, gyre, helix, involute, kink, ringlet, roll, screw, scroll, spiral, swirl, tendril, twirl, twist, volute, volution, vortex, whirl, whorl