undulating

[ uhn-juh-leyt, uhn-dyuh-, -duh- ]

adjective

1. having a sinuous or wavelike shape or motion:

   Travelers marvel at the simplicity and beauty of the undulating bamboo roof, tree-like pillars, and natural light flooding into the airport terminal.

   The American goldfinch is easily detected in the spring or summer as a flash of yellow flying with an undulating motion.

Other Words From

• non·un·du·lat·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of undulating¹

First recorded in 1710–20; undulat(e) ( def ) + -ing ²( def )

Example Sentences

Its music videos, which had heretofore been so art-school obscure that MTV barely played them, were now high-budget fantasias with Stipe front and center, undulating like a Robert Longo painting come to life.

From Los Angeles Times

This led to widespread and false conspiracy theories in states like Michigan about the undulating vote count.

From Los Angeles Times

Rivulets of paint dribbling from the edges of a trumpeting, undulating, otherwise indescribable robotic form are said to represent the tears of grief-stricken King Lear, wildly attempting to humanize the cold if nearly inexplicable scientific reality of Man Ray’s source.

From Los Angeles Times

We cross a vast countryside - scrub and grassland plains interspersed with views of lush farms – and pass a meandering river, craggy terrain and undulating hills.

From BBC

Roads curve when they’re not undulating.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• rolling