An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

To twist awry or out of shape; make crooked or deformed (Dictionary.com).

From L. distortus, p.p. of distorquere "to distort," from → dis-, + torquere "to twist."

Cowlé "distorted, crooked, bent," variants [Mo'in] kowlé, kal, kil, Lori cowel, Laki hoval, hol, Malâyeri caval, hol, Tabari, Aftari val, Mid.Pers. xwahl "bent, crooked;" PIE base *klei- "to lean, incline" from which is also derived Gk. klinein "to cause to slope, slant, incline," L. clinare "to bend," → declination.