volute

From French volute, from Italian voluta, from Latin volūta, from the feminine of volūtus, perfect passive participle of volvō. Doublet of vault.

• IPA^(key): /vəˈluːt/

volute (plural volutes)

1. (architecture) The characteristic spiral curve on an Ionic capital, widely copied in other styles and in neoclassical architecture.
   • 1856, Edward Shaw, The Modern Architect, Or, Every Carpenter His Own Master

     This example is much richer, yet no less elegant, than the other; the volute, instead of a single spiral, is formed by three; the sculptured echinus beneath is surmounted by a guilloched moulding, and separated from the shaft by a neck […]

2. (zoology) The spirals or whorls on a gastropod's shell.
3. (zoology) Any marine gastropod of the family Volutidae.
   • 2002, Don Philpott, Florida: Gulf Coast‎, page 16:

     Common shells include frog-shells, distorsios, volutes, tulips, murex, cones, olives, marginellas, cowries, augers and the Florida horse conch, the state's official shell, which can grow up to 24in (6 1 cm) long.

4. (engineering) The casing in a centrifugal pump, whose shape is somewhat similar to architectural volutes.
5. (art) A spiral or scroll form.
6. (music) A scroll-shaped carving at the tuning head of a stringed musical instrument, similar to architectural volutes.

• volutoid

The double volute spring in these shears automatically opens the blades when the user's grip relaxes

volute (not comparable)

1. (engineering) Of a spring: having a spiral curve on its tail.

• IPA^(key): /vɔ.lyt/

volute f (plural volutes)

1. (architecture) volute
2. (music, lutherie) scroll (of a musical instrument)

volute

1. feminine plural of the past participle of volere

volūte

1. vocative masculine singular of volūtus