complex

See also: Complex and complèx

English

Etymology

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *ḱe?
Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm
Proto-Italic *kom
Proto-Italic *kom-
Latin con-
Proto-Indo-European *pel-
Proto-Indo-European *pleḱ-der.
Proto-Italic *plektōder.
Latin plectō
Latin complector
Proto-Indo-European *-tus
Proto-Italic *-tus
Latin -tus
Latin complexuslbor.
French complexebor.
English complex

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

    Pronunciation

    Adjective

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

    1. Made up of multiple parts; composite; not simple.
      a complex being; a complex idea
      The human body is a complex system made up of many layers.
    2. Not simple, easy, or straightforward; complicated.
      Synonyms: complicated, detailed, difficult, hard, intricate, involved, tough; see also Thesaurus:complex
      Antonyms: basic, easy, simple, simplex, straightforward; see also Thesaurus:easy
      • 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.

    Derived terms

    Translations

    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
    Translations to be checked

    Noun

    complex (plural complexes or (nonstandard) complices)

    1. A network of interconnected systems.
      military–industrial complex
    2. 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, Brisbane, 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.
    3. An assemblage of related things; a collection.
      • 1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London:
        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, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, retrieved 16 September 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.
        Synonyms: species complex, species group, species aggregate
        Hyponyms: species flock, superspecies
        • 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. (psychology) A group of emotionally charged ideas or mental factors, unconsciously associated by the individual with a particular subject, arising from repressed instincts, fears, or desires and often resulting in mental abnormality.
      Synonym: constellation
      Jim has a real complex about working for a woman boss.
      1. A fixed mental tendency or obsession.
    6. (chemistry) A structure consisting of a central atom or molecule weakly connected to surrounding atoms or molecules, as for example coordination compounds 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 “water-oxidizing complex”, made up of manganese atoms and a calcium atom.
    7. (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.
    8. (linguistics) A multimorphemic word, one with several parts, one with affixes.

    Derived terms

    Descendants

    • → Japanese: コンプレックス
    • → Korean: 콤플렉스 (kompeullekseu)
    • → Malay: kompleks

    Translations

    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
    Translations to be checked

    Verb

    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.

    Translations

    References

    Further reading

    Catalan

    Etymology

      Learned borrowing from Latin complexus.

      Pronunciation

      Adjective

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

      1. complex (made up of multiple parts; composite; not simple)
        Synonym: compost
        Antonyms: simple, senzill
      2. complex (complicated, not simple, easy or straightforward)
        Synonyms: complicat, embolicat
        Antonyms: simple, senzill

      Derived terms

      Noun

      complex m (plural complexos)

      1. collection (a set of things or parts related to each other)
      2. complex (e.g. of buildings)
      3. (psychoanalysis, psychology, chemistry) complex
      4. (mathematics) complex number, complex

      Further reading

      Dutch

      Etymology

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

      Pronunciation

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

      Adjective

      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)

      Declension

      Declension 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

      Descendants

      Noun

      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

      Descendants

      German

      Adjective

      complex (strong nominative masculine singular complexer, comparative complexer, superlative am complexesten)

      1. Obsolete spelling of komplex which was deprecated in 1902 following the Second Orthographic Conference of 1901.
        • 1781, Immanuel Kant, “Die Diſciplin d. r. Vernunft in Beweiſen”, in Kritik der reinen Vernunft [Critique of Pure Reason], Riga: Johann Friedrich Hartknoch, page 785:
          Hiedurch nun, daß das Einfache in der Abſtraction vom Einfachen im Obiect ganz unterſchieden iſt und daß das Ich, welches im erſteren Verſtande gar keine Mannigfaltigkeit in ſich faßt, im zweiten, da es die Seele ſelbſt bedeutet, ein ſehr complexer Begriff ſeyn kan, nemlich ſehr vieles unter ſich zu enthalten und zu bezeichnen, entdecke ich einen Paralogism.
          (please add an English translation of this quotation)

      Declension

      Positive forms of complex
      number & gender singular plural
      masculine feminine neuter
      predicative er ist complex sie ist complex es ist complex sie sind complex
      strong declension
      (without article)       		nominative complexer complexe complexes complexe
      genitive complexen complexer complexen complexer
      dative complexem complexer complexem complexen
      accusative complexen complexe complexes complexe
      weak declension
      (with definite article)       		nominative der complexe die complexe das complexe die complexen
      genitive des complexen der complexen des complexen der complexen
      dative dem complexen der complexen dem complexen den complexen
      accusative den complexen die complexe das complexe die complexen
      mixed declension
      (with indefinite article)       		nominative ein complexer eine complexe ein complexes (keine) complexen
      genitive eines complexen einer complexen eines complexen (keiner) complexen
      dative einem complexen einer complexen einem complexen (keinen) complexen
      accusative einen complexen eine complexe ein complexes (keine) complexen
      Comparative forms of complex
      number & gender singular plural
      masculine feminine neuter
      predicative er ist complexer sie ist complexer es ist complexer sie sind complexer
      strong declension
      (without article)       		nominative complexerer complexere complexeres complexere
      genitive complexeren complexerer complexeren complexerer
      dative complexerem complexerer complexerem complexeren
      accusative complexeren complexere complexeres complexere
      weak declension
      (with definite article)       		nominative der complexere die complexere das complexere die complexeren
      genitive des complexeren der complexeren des complexeren der complexeren
      dative dem complexeren der complexeren dem complexeren den complexeren
      accusative den complexeren die complexere das complexere die complexeren
      mixed declension
      (with indefinite article)       		nominative ein complexerer eine complexere ein complexeres (keine) complexeren
      genitive eines complexeren einer complexeren eines complexeren (keiner) complexeren
      dative einem complexeren einer complexeren einem complexeren (keinen) complexeren
      accusative einen complexeren eine complexere ein complexeres (keine) complexeren
      Superlative forms of complex
      number & gender singular plural
      masculine feminine neuter
      predicative er ist am complexesten sie ist am complexesten es ist am complexesten sie sind am complexesten
      strong declension
      (without article)       		nominative complexester complexeste complexestes complexeste
      genitive complexesten complexester complexesten complexester
      dative complexestem complexester complexestem complexesten
      accusative complexesten complexeste complexestes complexeste
      weak declension
      (with definite article)       		nominative der complexeste die complexeste das complexeste die complexesten
      genitive des complexesten der complexesten des complexesten der complexesten
      dative dem complexesten der complexesten dem complexesten den complexesten
      accusative den complexesten die complexeste das complexeste die complexesten
      mixed declension
      (with indefinite article)       		nominative ein complexester eine complexeste ein complexestes (keine) complexesten
      genitive eines complexesten einer complexesten eines complexesten (keiner) complexesten
      dative einem complexesten einer complexesten einem complexesten (keinen) complexesten
      accusative einen complexesten eine complexeste ein complexestes (keine) complexesten

      Latin

      Etymology

      Etymology tree
      Proto-Indo-European *ḱe?
      Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm
      Proto-Italic *kom
      Proto-Italic *kom-
      Latin con-
      Proto-Indo-European *pel-
      Proto-Indo-European *pleḱ-der.
      Latin plicō
      Latin complex

        From con- + plicō.

        Pronunciation

        Adjective

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

        1. closely connected, confederate, participant
        2. of the twelve Olympians (Jūnō, Vesta, Minerva, Cerēs, Dīana, Venus, Mārs, Mercurius, Jūpiter, Neptūnus, Vulcānus, Apollō)
          Synonym: cōnsēns

        Declension

        Third-declension one-termination adjective.

        singular plural
        masc./fem. neuter masc./fem. neuter
        nominative complex complicēs complicia
        genitive complicis complicium
        complicum
        dative complicī complicibus
        accusative complicem complex complicīs
        complicēs         		complicia
        ablative complicī
        complice         		complicibus
        vocative complex complicēs complicia

        Notes

        1. No direct connection to the English adjective complex, which is from Latin complexus with an etymologically related, yet different stem.
        2. The twelve Olympians were also called dī complicēs.

        Noun

        complex m or f (genitive complicis); third declension

        1. participant, confederate, accomplice

        Declension

        Third-declension noun.

        singular plural
        nominative complex complicēs
        genitive complicis complicum
        dative complicī complicibus
        accusative complicem complicēs
        ablative complice complicibus
        vocative complex complicēs

        Descendants

        References

        Romanian

        Etymology

        Etymology tree
        Proto-Indo-European *ḱe?
        Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm
        Proto-Italic *kom
        Proto-Italic *kom-
        Latin con-
        Proto-Indo-European *pel-
        Proto-Indo-European *pleḱ-der.
        Proto-Italic *plektōder.
        Latin plectō
        Latin complector
        Proto-Indo-European *-tus
        Proto-Italic *-tus
        Latin -tus
        Latin complexuslbor.
        French complexebor.
        Romanian complex

          Borrowed from French complexe, a learned borrowing from Latin complexus.

          Pronunciation

          • IPA(key): [komˈpleks]

          Adjective

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

          1. complex
            Antonym: simplu

          Declension

          Declension of complex
          singular plural
          masculine neuter feminine masculine neuter feminine
          nominative-
          accusative           		indefinite complex complexă complecși complexe
          definite complexul complexa complecșii complexele
          genitive-
          dative           		indefinite complex complexe complecși complexe
          definite complexului complexei complecșilor complexelor

          Further reading

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