contornar

An alternative, less common form of contornear (to go around the contour of something, or to outline it). Both forms are correct and mean the same thing, but contornear is the far more frequently used of the two in modern Spanish.

• El sendero contorna la base de la montaña. — The path goes around the base of the mountain.
• El artista contornó la figura con un lápiz fino. — The artist outlined the figure with a fine pencil.
• El río contorna todo el valle antes de llegar al mar. — The river skirts the whole valley before reaching the sea.

Since contornear is by far the more common variant, using contornar isn't wrong but will read as slightly less natural — a learner is better served defaulting to contornear.

Often confused with contornear.