flexure
|flex-ure|
🇺🇸
/ˈflɛkʃɚ/
🇬🇧
/ˈflɛkʃə/
a bend
Etymology
'flexure' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'flexura' derived from the verb 'flectere,' where 'flect-' meant 'to bend.'
'flexure' changed from Latin 'flexura' into Old French 'flexure' and was adopted into Middle English as 'flexure', eventually becoming the modern English word 'flexure'.
Initially, it meant 'a bending or the action of bending,' and over time it has retained that core meaning while being applied in more technical contexts (e.g., geology, anatomy, engineering).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the act or process of bending; the state of being flexed.
The flexure of the beam under the heavy load was measured by the engineers.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
a bend, curve, or fold in something, especially in geology or structural contexts (e.g., a bend in a rock layer or crust).
Geological surveys revealed a pronounced flexure along the fault line.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 3
a bent part of a bodily structure (an anatomical bend), as in phrases like 'hepatic flexure' of the colon.
The surgeon inspected the hepatic flexure during the procedure.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/04 11:17