Meaning of the word complex

There are several meanings of the word complex; one could say the word complex itself is very complex! Take a look at this article to learn several meanings of the word complex, its origin, example sentences, and more!

What Does the Word Complex Mean?

According to Collins English Dictionary, the word complex has many meanings. The most common meaning of complex is as an adjective meaning complicated or intricate, or having an involved arrangement of parts. A complex can also refer to a collection of buildings or a group of buildings, such as an apartment complex. 

In biochemistry, a complex refers to a structure consisting of a central atom and a composition of molecules that can form coordinate bonds like a receptor-hormone complex. 

In psychology, a complex is a type of pathological or strange behavior or emotion resulting from memories, feelings, and impulses. The pronunciation of complex is ˈkɒmplɛks.

What Is the Origin of the Word Complex?

According to Dictionary, the word complex has been used since the 17th century in Middle English. This word comes from the Latin complexus, which is the past participle of complecti, and the Latin complectere, which means to embrace or include. 

How Can Complex Be Used in a Sentence?

Below are example sentences containing the word complex. Studying sentences that contain words you are trying to learn is one of many tactics for memorizing definitions. See if you can determine which definition of complex is used in each of these sentences:

Based on her psychoanalysis, he had all of the symptoms of a superiority complex. The combination of emotions he presented was identical to a person’s behavior who’s been diagnosed with the syndrome.

Jim studied the complex entity of ions in chemistry class and broke it down into its constituents to identify its chemical identity. He broke the whole structure known as a coordination compound into its related structures and related parts from the conceptual whole.

The complex machinery known as an escalator was installed in the shopping malls in town. The use of these complex ideas was new to the people, and a combination of factors led to customers preferring the stairs instead.

The group of emotional ideas led to the woman boss’ pathological behavior and inferiority complex outside of her complex mind. Her obsessive notion and fear of a particular thing necessitated therapy.

He knew how to play a simple folk melody, but he was lost when presented with a complex set of variations. 

She twisted a braid into her hair before attempting the complex process for her mathematics class. One person’s behavior in class insinuated that she would be unsuccessful, but she was able to solve the problem even with its complicated association of the square root of real numbers.

What Are Translations of Complex?

If you need to describe something as being complex to a person who does not speak English, reference these translations of complex that are provided by Nice Translator.

• Marathi: कॉम्प्लेक्स
• Turkish: karmaşık
• Romanian: complex
• Finnish: monimutkainen
• Lithuanian: Kompleksas 
• Chinese (Taiwan): 複雜的
• Portuguese (Portugal): complexo
• Danish: kompleks.
• Polish: złożony
• Tamil: சிக்கலான
• Ukrainian: комплексний
• Urdu: کمپلیکس
• Bulgarian: комплекс
• Malay: kompleks
• Thai: ซับซ้อน
• Chinese (PRC): 复杂的
• Greek: συγκρότημα
• Italian: complesso
• Basque: konplexu
• Slovenian: kompleks
• Portuguese (Brazil): complexo
• Swedish: komplex
• French: complexe
• Norwegian: kompleks
• Amharic: ውስብስብ
• Hungarian: összetett
• Russian: сложный
• Catalan: complex
• Vietnamese: phức tạp
• Indonesian: kompleks
• Hebrew: מורכב
• Latvian: komplekss
• Croatian: kompleks
• Gujarati: સંકુલ
• Icelandic: flókið
• Welsh: gymhleth
• Czech: komplex
• Telugu: క్లిష్టమైన
• Filipino: mahirap unawain
• Malayalam: കോംപ്ലമായ
• German: Komplex
• Serbian: комплекс
• Bengali: জটিল
• Estonian: kompleksne
• Korean: 복잡한
• Spanish: complejo
• Japanese: 繁雑
• Slovak: komplexný
• Dutch: complex
• Swahili: tata
• Arabic: مركب
• Hindi: जटिल
• Kannada: ಸಂಕೀರ್ಣ

What Are Synonyms of the Word Complex?

Power Thesaurus lists many words that can be used in place of the word complex. These words are called synonyms, and have similar definitions to the word complex.

• abstruse
• anfractuous
• arduous
• awkward
• baffling
• bewildering
• burdensome
• byzantine
• challenging
• complexity
• complicated
• composite
• compound
• confusing
• convoluted
• cumbersome
• daedal
• deep
• difficult
• disturbing
• elaborate
• esoteric
• fixation
• gordian
• grinding
• hang-up
• hard
• hard to understand
• heterogeneous
• impenetrable
• incomprehensible
• inextricable
• intricate
• involute
• involved
• knotted
• knotty
• laborious
• labyrinthine
• multiple
• multiplex
• nasty
• network
• neurosis
• obscure
• obsession
• operose
• oppressive
• painful
• perplexed
• perplexing
• precarious
• problematic
• profound
• puzzling
• recondite
• rough
• rugged
• sensitive
• severe
• sinuous
• sophisticated
• sticky
• stressful
• structure
• system
• tangled
• tangly
• thorny
• ticklish
• tight
• toilsome
• tortuous
• tough
• tricky
• trying
• unfathomable
• weighty

What Are Antonyms of the Word Complex?

Complex also has several antonyms which are listed below from Power Thesaurus. These words are opposites of the word complex.

• ancient
• antediluvian
• antiquated
• antique
• apparent
• archaic
• as easy as ABC
• as easy as falling off a log
• as easy as pie
• as easy as rolling off a log
• as easy as shooting fish in a barrel
• as simple as ABC
• austere
• backward
• bald
• bare
• basic
• can be done with your eyes closed
• can be done with your eyes shut
• childlike
• clear
• crystal clear
• dated
• direct
• dull
• early
• easily understood
• easy
• easy as pie
• easy as shelling peas
• easy as shooting fish in a barrel
• easy peasy Japanesey
• easy to achieve
• effortless
• elementary
• evident
• fairly straightforward
• hassle-free
• homogeneous
• isolation
• like shooting fish in a barrel
• low
• modest
• natural
• nonprogressive
• obsolete
• obvious
• old
• old-fashioned
• ordinary
• outdated
• outmoded
• plain
• plain sailing
• poor
• primitive
• royal
• rudimentary
• simple
• simplistic
• spartan
• stark
• straightforward
• unadorned
• uncomplicated
• uniform
• unsophisticated

Conclusion

The word complex has several meanings. The most common meaning of the word complex is intricate or complicated. The word complex is very versatile and can be used in many ways.

Sources:

1. Complex synonyms – 1 582 Words and Phrases for Complex | Power Thesaurus 
2. Complex antonyms – 538 Opposites of Complex | Power Thesaurus 
3. Complex Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com 
4. Complex definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary
5. Complex | Nice Translator  

комплекс, совокупность, сложный, комплексный, осложнять

существительное ↓

прилагательное ↓

глагол

- редк. собирать в одно целое
- осложнять

Словосочетания

the complex mosaic of world cultures — сложная мозаика мировых культур  
a glib response to a complex question — поверхностный ответ на сложный вопрос  
a complex of hospital buildings — система корпусов больницы, больничный комплекс  
new industrial complex — новый промышленный комплекс  
manned space complex — пилотируемый орбитальный комплекс  
missile complex — стартовый комплекс  
complex web of relationships — сложная система взаимоотношений  
set complex — комплекс-множество  
immunostimulating complex — иском (-вакцина)  
transcriptional complex — транскрипционный комплекс  
vanadyl-ribonucleoside complex — ванадат-рибонуклеозидный комплекс  
clone complex — клональный комплекс  

Примеры с переводом

Примеры, ожидающие перевода

Возможные однокоренные слова

complexion  — цвет лица, вид, аспект
complexity  — сложность, запутанность, запутанное дело
complexify  — осложнять, усложнять, осложняться, усложняться

Формы слова

noun
ед. ч.(singular): complex
мн. ч.(plural): complexes

What do we mean by complex?

Consisting of interconnected or interwoven parts; composite. adjective

Composed of two or more units. adjective

Difficult to understand for being intricate or involved; complicated. adjective

Consisting of at least one bound form. Used of a word. adjective

Consisting of an independent clause and at least one other independent or dependent clause. Used of a sentence. adjective

A whole composed of interconnected or interwoven parts. noun

A building or group of buildings used for a single purpose. noun

In psychology, a group of related, often repressed ideas and impulses that compel characteristic or habitual patterns of thought, feelings, and behavior. No longer in scientific use. noun

An exaggerated or obsessive concern or fear. noun

The combination of factors, symptoms, or signs of a disease or disorder that forms a syndrome. noun

Composed of interconnected parts; formed by a combination of simple things or elements; including two or more connected particulars; composite; not simple: as, a complex being; complex ideas; a complex term.

Involved; intricate; complicated; perplexing.

In the theory of numbers, any expression in the form ai + bj +, etc., where a, b, etc., are integers, and i, j, etc., are peculiar units.

To combine intricately; involve; mix up.

Anything consisting in or formed by the union of interconnected parts; especially, an assemblage of particulars related as parts of a system. noun

In geometry, a continuous, triply infinite system of infinite straight lines; the whole of any kind of forms in space fulfilling one condition: thus, all the lines that cut a given curve in space constitute a complex. noun

Composed of two or more parts; composite; not simple. adjective

Involving many parts; complicated; intricate. adjective

A network of interconnected systems.

A collection of buildings with a common purpose, such as a university or military base.

An assemblage of related things; a collection.

An abnormal mental condition caused by repressed emotions.

(by extension) A vehement, often excessive psychological dislike or fear of a particular thing.

A structure consisting of a central atom or molecule weakly connected to surrounding atoms or molecules.

A complex number.

When one believes that many people around one hates one. Urban Dictionary

Having many simple parts. Urban Dictionary

A hip new Urban Magazine identified by the tag line «Guns, Drugs and the Hamptons: Life on the Reservation» and reaturing (i) booty shaking, (ii) tips on locking in a winter wifey, (iii) choosing a delicious poultry product, and (iv) Jay-Z. The editor’s picks are marked with a red symbol in the shape of a hair pick that might be inserted into one’s afro. Urban Dictionary

See also xelpmoc. Basically think Dogbert technical assistance. He knows pretty much everything there is to know about the interweb but he won’t tell you because he hates you. He helped create warbucket Urban Dictionary

A system of representation, usually formalistic.
Characterized by having a discrete side usually a discrete end.
The attributive (adjectival) use of «complex» is identical to its functional (nominal) use. Urban Dictionary

One who hails Satan. Urban Dictionary

Something so complex, it’s not enough to say it’s complicated. Urban Dictionary

Forging together of a complex and complicated situation and/or person Urban Dictionary

Complex (meaning different) and complicated (meaning difficult) basically it means something that’s new, different, and confusing, such as a complexicated relationship or a person with a complexicated personality. Urban Dictionary

Getting a stiffy/ Going hard Urban Dictionary

com·plex

 (kəm-plĕks′, kŏm′plĕks′)

adj.

1.

a. Consisting of interconnected or interwoven parts; composite: complex equipment with multiple components.

b. Composed of two or more units: a complex carbohydrate.

2. Difficult to understand for being intricate or involved; complicated: a complex problem.

3. Grammar

a. Consisting of at least one bound form. Used of a word.

b. Consisting of an independent clause and at least one other independent or dependent clause. Used of a sentence.

n. (kŏm′plĕks′)

1. A whole composed of interconnected or interwoven parts: a complex of cities and suburbs; the military-industrial complex.

2. A building or group of buildings used for a single purpose: a sports complex.

3. In psychoanalysis, a group of related, often repressed ideas and impulses that compel characteristic or habitual patterns of thought, feelings, and behavior.

4. An exaggerated or obsessive concern or fear: has a complex about his weight.

5. Medicine The combination of factors, symptoms, or signs of a disease or disorder that forms a syndrome.

---

[Latin complexus, past participle of complectī, to entwine; see complect.]

---

com·plex′ly adv.

com·plex′ness n.

Synonyms: complex, complicated, intricate, involved, tangled
These adjectives mean having parts so interconnected as to hamper comprehension or perception of the whole. Complex implies a combination of many interwoven parts: The composer transformed a simple folk tune into a complex set of variations. Complicated stresses a relationship of parts that affect each other in elaborate, often obscure ways: The party’s complicated platform confused many voters. Intricate refers to a pattern of intertwining parts that is difficult to follow or analyze: «No one could soar into a more intricate labyrinth of refined phraseology» (Anthony Trollope).
Involved implies a close but confusing interconnection between many different parts: The movie’s plot was criticized as being too involved. Tangled strongly suggests the random twisting of many parts: «Oh, what a tangled web we weave, / When first we practice to deceive!» (Sir Walter Scott).

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

complex

(ˈkɒmplɛks)

adj

1. made up of various interconnected parts; composite

2. (of thoughts, writing, etc) intricate or involved

3. (Grammar) grammar

a. (of a word) containing at least one bound form

b. (of a noun phrase) containing both a lexical noun and an embedded clause, as for example the italicized parts of the following sentence: I didn’t know the man who served me

c. (of a sentence) formed by subordination of one clause to another

4. (Mathematics) maths of or involving one or more complex numbers

n

5. a whole made up of interconnected or related parts: a building complex.

6. (Psychoanalysis) psychoanal a group of emotional ideas or impulses that have been banished from the conscious mind but that continue to influence a person’s behaviour

7. (Psychology) informal an obsession or excessive fear: he’s got a complex about cats.

8. (Chemistry) Also called: coordination compound a chemical compound in which molecules, groups, or ions are attached to a central metal atom, esp a transition metal atom, by coordinate bonds

9. (Chemistry) any chemical compound in which one molecule is linked to another by a coordinate bond

[C17: from Latin complexus, from complectī to entwine, from com- together + plectere to braid]

ˈcomplexly adv

ˈcomplexness n

Usage: Complex is sometimes wrongly used where complicated is meant. Complex is properly used to say only that something consists of several parts. It should not be used to say that, because something consists of many parts, it is difficult to understand or analyse

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

com•plex

(adj., v. kəmˈplɛks, ˈkɒm plɛks; n. ˈkɒm plɛks)

adj.

1. composed of many interconnected parts; compound; composite: a complex system.

2. characterized by a complicated or involved arrangement of parts, units, etc.: complex machinery.

3. so complicated or intricate as to be hard to understand or deal with: a complex problem.

4. (of a word) consisting of two or more parts, at least one of which is a bound form, as childish, which consists of the word child and the bound form -ish.

5. pertaining to or using complex numbers: complex methods; complex vector space.

n.

6. an often intricate or complicated association or assemblage of related things, parts, units, etc., forming a whole: an apartment complex.

7. a cluster of interrelated, emotion-charged ideas, desires, and impulses that may be wholly or partly suppressed but influence attitudes, associations, and behavior.

8. an obsessive notion or concern.

9. Also called coordination compound. a chemical compound in which independently existing molecules or ions of a nonmetal form coordinate bonds with a metal atom or ion.Compare ligand (def. 2).

10. an entity composed of molecules in which the constituents maintain much of their chemical identity: receptor-hormone complex.

v.t.

11. Chem. to form a complex with.

v.i.

12. Chem. to form a complex.

[1645–55; (adj.) < Latin complexus, past participle of complectī, complectere to embrace, encompass, include]

com•plex′ly, adv.

com•plex′ness, n.

Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Complex

 an object or framework made up from parts; a group of buildings forming part of related whole.

Examples: complex of doctrine, 1862; of fluid atoms, 1652; of planets, 1672; of psychoanalysts—Lipton, 1970.

Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

complex

An idea which is partly or wholly repressed, but which determines your opinion of yourself, may produce a complex. A woman may not consciously recall being teased as a child for being fat, for instance, but the idea may remain in her unconscious and as a result she may develop a complex about her appearance, whatever her adult build.

Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Translations

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From French complexe, from Latin complexus, past participle of complector (“I entwine, encircle, compass, infold”), from com- (“together”) and plectere (“to weave, braid”). May be analyzed as com- +‎ -plex. See complect. Doublet of complexus.

Pronunciation[edit]

Adjective

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈkɒm.plɛks/, /kəmˈplɛks/
• (US) enPR: kəmplĕks, kŏm’plĕks; IPA^(key): /kɑmˈplɛks/, /kəmˈplɛks/, /ˈkɑmplɛks/

• Audio (US) (/kəmˈplɛks/)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛks

Noun

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈkɒm.plɛks/
• (US) enPR: kŏm’plĕks, IPA^(key): /ˈkɑmplɛks/

Adjective[edit]

complex (comparative complexer or more complex, superlative complexest or most complex)

1. Made up of multiple parts; composite; not simple.

   a complex being; a complex idea

   • 1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], chapter 2, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC, book I, page 12:

     Ideas thus made up of several simple ones put together, I call complex; such as beauty, gratitude, a man, an army, the universe.

2. Not simple, easy, or straightforward; complicated.

   • 1837, William Whewell, “Inductive Epoch of Hipparchus”, in History of the Inductive Sciences, from the Earliest to the Present Times. […], volume I, London: John W[illiam] Parker, […]; Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: J. and J. J. Deighton, →OCLC, book III (History of Greek Astronomy), section 2 (Estimate of the Value of the Theory of Eccentrics and Epicycles), page 183:

     If, when the actual motions of the heavens are calculated in the best possible way, the process is complex and difficult, and if we are discontented at this, nature, and not the astronomer, must be the object of our displeasure.

3. (mathematics, of a number) Having the form a + bi, where a and b are real numbers and i is (by definition) the imaginary square root of −1.

   complex number

   function of a complex variable

4. (mathematics, mathematical analysis, of a function) Whose range is a subset of the complex numbers.

   complex function

5. (mathematics, algebra) Whose coefficients are complex numbers; defined over the field of complex numbers.

   complex polynomial

   complex algebraic variety

6. (geometry) A curve, polygon or other figure that crosses or intersects itself.

Synonyms[edit]

• (not simple): complicated, detailed, difficult, hard, intricate, involved, tough

Antonyms[edit]

• (not simple): basic, easy, simple, simplex, straightforward

Derived terms[edit]

[edit]

• complexion
• (mathematics): symplectic

Translations[edit]

Noun[edit]

complex (plural complexes)

1. A problem. (clarification of this definition is needed)
2. A network of interconnected systems.

   military-industrial complex

3. A collection of buildings with a common purpose, such as a university or military base.

   • 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Protheans: Mars Ruins Codex entry:

     The south polar region of Promethei Planum developed a Bermuda Triangle reputation. Satellites detected intermittent mass concentrations and magnetic field shifts. In 2148, prospectors working near Deseado Crater discovered an underground complex: a Prothean observation post. The odd phenomena were generated by the operation and discharge of a mass effect core, struggling to function despite fifty millennia of neglect.

   • 2021 February 6, The Courier-Mail, page 4, column 1:

     A man at the complex said he had seen the often heavily made-up girls coming and going in luxury vehicles.

4. An assemblage of related things; a collection.

   • 1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), 6th edition, London: […] J[ames] Bettenham, for Jonah Bowyer, […], published 1727, →OCLC:

     This parable of the wedding supper comprehends in it the whole complex of all the blessings and privileges exhibited by the gospel.

   1. An organized cluster of thunderstorms.
   2. A cluster of wildfires burning in the same vicinity.

      The fire complex began as two separate fires.

      • 2020 September 16, “Millions of acres burn in California as weather improves in Northwest.”, in The New York Times, retrieved September 16, 2020:

        As of early Wednesday, there were at least 25 major wildfires and fire complexes, the term given to multiple fires in a single geographic area, burning in California, Christine McMorrow, a Cal Fire information officer, said.

   3. (taxonomy) A group of closely related species, often distinguished only with difficulty by traditional morphological methods.

      • 2015 November 26, Mosè Manni et al., “Relevant genetic differentiation among Brazilian populations of Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera, Tephritidae)”, in ZooKeys, volume 540, →DOI:

        Since then, a good deal of research has documented and concluded that the nominal species A. fraterculus actually comprises an unresolved complex of cryptic species.

5. (psychoanalysis) An abnormal mental condition caused by repressed emotions.
6. (informal, by extension) A vehement, often excessive psychological dislike or fear of a particular thing.

   Jim has a real complex about working for a woman boss.

7. (chemistry) A structure consisting of a central atom or molecule weakly connected to surrounding atoms or molecules, as for example coordination complexes in inorganic chemistry and protein complexes in biochemistry.

   • 2013 September-October, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist:

     Oxygen levels on Earth skyrocketed 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria evolved photosynthesis: […] . The evolutionary precursor of photosynthesis is still under debate, and a new study sheds light. The critical component of the photosynthetic system is the &ldquo;water-oxidizing complex”, made up of manganese atoms and a calcium atom.

8. (mathematics) A complex number.

   • 1996, Barry Simon, Representations of Finite and Compact Groups, page 50:

     The interesting aspect here is that U₃ is irreducible, even though all irreps over the complexes are one-dimensional because ℤ₄ is abelian.

9. (linguistics) A multimorphemic word, one with several parts, one with affixes.

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

Verb[edit]

complex (third-person singular simple present complexes, present participle complexing, simple past and past participle complexed)

1. (chemistry, intransitive) To form a complex with another substance
2. (transitive) To complicate.

Derived terms[edit]

• complex compound
• neotenic complex syndrome

Translations[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• complex in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• “complex”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• complex at OneLook Dictionary Search

Catalan[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin complexus.

Pronunciation[edit]

• (Balearic, Valencian) IPA^(key): /komˈplɛks/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /kumˈplɛks/

Adjective[edit]

complex (feminine complexa, masculine plural complexos, feminine plural complexes)

1. complex

   Antonyms: simple, senzill

Derived terms[edit]

• nombre complex

[edit]

• complexitat

Noun[edit]

complex m (plural complexos)

1. complex (clarification of this definition is needed)

Further reading[edit]

• “complex” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “complex”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2023
• “complex” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “complex” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Dutch[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from French complexe or German komplex, from Latin complexus.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /kɔmˈplɛks/
• Hyphenation: com‧plex
• Rhymes: -ɛks

Adjective[edit]

complex (comparative complexer, superlative meest complex or complext)

1. complex (composite)
2. complex (complicated)
3. (mathematics) complex (containing an imaginary component or involving imaginary numbers)

Inflection[edit]

Inflection of complex
uninflected	complex
inflected	complexe
comparative	complexer
	positive	comparative	superlative
predicative/adverbial	complex	complexer	het complext het complexte
indefinite	m./f. sing.	complexe	complexere	complexte
n. sing.	complex	complexer	complexte
plural	complexe	complexere	complexte
definite	complexe	complexere	complexte
partitive	complex	complexers	—

Derived terms[edit]

• complex getal
• complexiteit

Descendants[edit]

• → Indonesian: kompleks

Noun[edit]

complex n (plural complexen, diminutive complexje n)

1. complex (collection of buildings or facilities with a common purpose)
2. (psychoanalysis) complex (abnormal mental state caused by repression)

Derived terms[edit]

• gebouwencomplex
• inferioriteitscomplex
• meerderwaarigheidscomplex
• minderwaardigheidscomplex
• sportcomplex
• superioriteitscomplex
• tempelcomplex

[edit]

• complicatie
• gecompliceerd

Descendants[edit]

• → Indonesian: kompleks

Latin[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From con- +‎ plicō, literally «folded together».

Pronunciation[edit]

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈkom.pleks/, [ˈkɔmpɫ̪ɛks̠]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈkom.pleks/, [ˈkɔmpleks]

Adjective[edit]

complex (genitive complicis); third-declension one-termination adjective

1. closely connected, confederate, participant

Declension[edit]

Third-declension one-termination adjective.

Number	Singular		Plural
Case / Gender	Masc./Fem.	Neuter	Masc./Fem.	Neuter
Nominative	complex		complicēs	complicia
Genitive	complicis	complicium
Dative	complicī	complicibus
Accusative	complicem	complex	complicēs	complicia
Ablative	complicī	complicibus
Vocative	complex	complicēs	complicia

Notes[edit]

No direct connection to the English adjective complex, which is from Latin complexus with an etymologically related, yet different stem.

Noun[edit]

complex m or f (genitive complicis); third declension

1. participant, confederate, accomplice

Declension[edit]

Third-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	complex	complicēs
Genitive	complicis	complicum
Dative	complicī	complicibus
Accusative	complicem	complicēs
Ablative	complice	complicibus
Vocative	complex	complicēs

Descendants[edit]

• Italian: complice
• French: complice
• → German: Komplize
• → Romanian: complice
• → English: complice
  • English: accomplice

References[edit]

• “complex”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• complices in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• complex in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette

Romanian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From French complexe, from Latin complexus.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): [komˈpleks]

Adjective[edit]

complex m or n (feminine singular complexă, masculine plural complecși, feminine and neuter plural complexe)

1. complex

Declension[edit]

Antonyms[edit]

• simplu

[edit]

• complexitate

Further reading[edit]

• complex in DEX online — Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language)

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At the highest level in the NFL, the pass game is as complex as you can imagine.

Pete Carroll

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD COMPLEX

From Latin complexus, from complectī to entwine, from com- together + plectere to braid.

PRONUNCIATION OF COMPLEX

GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF COMPLEX

Complex can act as a noun and an adjective.

WHAT DOES COMPLEX MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Definition of complex in the English dictionary

The first definition of complex in the dictionary is made up of various interconnected parts; composite. Other definition of complex is intricate or involved. Complex is also containing at least one bound form.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH COMPLEX

SYNONYMS OF «COMPLEX»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «complex» and belong to the same grammatical category.

TRANSLATION OF COMPLEX

Find out the translation of complex to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «COMPLEX»

The term «complex» is very widely used and occupies the 3.066 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.

Principal search tendencies and common uses of complex

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «COMPLEX» OVER TIME

10 QUOTES WITH «COMPLEX»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word complex.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «COMPLEX»

Discover the use of complex in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to complex and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «COMPLEX»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term complex is used in the context of the following news items.

REFERENCE

« EDUCALINGO. Complex [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/complex>. Apr 2023 ».

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Complex commonly refers to:

• Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe
  • Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each other
• Complex (psychology), a core pattern of emotions etc. in the personal unconscious organized around a common theme such as power or status

Complex may also refer to:

Arts, entertainment and media[edit]

• Complex (English band), formed in 1968, and their 1971 album Complex
• Complex (band), a Japanese rock band
• Complex (album), by Montaigne, 2019, and its title track
• Complex (EP), by Rifle Sport, 1985
• «Complex» (song), by Gary Numan, 1979
• «Complex», a song by Katie Gregson-MacLeod, 2022
• Complex Networks, publisher of the now-only-online magazine Complex

Biology[edit]

• Protein–ligand complex, a complex of a protein bound with a ligand
• Exosome complex, a multi-protein intracellular complex
• Protein complex, a group of two or more associated polypeptide chains
• Species complex, a cluster of very similar species difficult to delimit
• Pre-Bötzinger complex, a cluster of interneurons in the ventral respiratory group of the medulla of the brainstem

Chemistry[edit]

• Coordination complex, a central atom or ion and a surrounding array of bound molecules or ions
• Chelate complex, a coordination complex with more than one bond

Mathematics[edit]

• Complex number, an extension of real numbers obtained by adjoining imaginary numbers
• Complex polytope, a generalization of a polytope in a complex Hilbert space
• Complex analysis, the study of functions of complex numbers
• Complex, an element of a field of sets
• Chain complex, an algebraic structure
• Simplicial complex, a kind of topological space
  • CW complex, a kind of topological space
• Line complex, a 3-dimensional family of lines in space

Geology[edit]

• Complex (geology), a unit of rocks composed of rocks of two or three types
• Complex crater, a type of large impact crater morphology
• Volcanic complex, a group of volcanoes
• Complex volcano, a volcano of mixed form
• Accretionary complex, a fossil accretionary wedge

Other uses[edit]

• Building complex, a group of inter-related buildings
  • Housing complex, specifically residential
• UCL Centre for Mathematics and Physics in the Life Sciences and Experimental Biology (CoMPLEX), part of UCL Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, London, UK

See also[edit]

• All pages with titles beginning with Complex
• All pages with titles containing Complex
• Complexity (disambiguation)
• Complexity theory (disambiguation)
• Military–industrial complex