contortion

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Proto-Indo-European *terkʷ- Proto-Italic *torkʷeō Latin torqueō Latin contorqueō Latin contortus Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin contortiōder. Middle French contortionder. English contortion Derived from Middle French contortion, from Latin contortiō.

1. The act or result of contorting; the state of being contorted: the twisting of something, especially oneself.
2. A performance art involving the dramatic bending and flexing of the body, showcasing extreme physical flexibility.