com·plex (k m-pl ks , k mplks )adj. 1. a. Consisting of interconnected or interwoven parts; composite. b. Composed of two or more units: a complex carbohydrate. 2. Involved or intricate, as in structure; complicated. 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. (k mplks)1. A whole composed of interconnected or interwoven parts: a complex of cities and suburbs; the military-industrial complex. 2. 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. 3. An exaggerated or obsessive concern or fear. 4. Medicine The combination of factors, symptoms, or signs of a disease or disorder that forms a syndrome. [Latin complexus, past participle of complect  , to entwine; see complect.]com·plex ly adv.com·plex ness n.Synonyms: complex, complicated, intricate, involved, tangled, knotty These adjectives mean having parts so interconnected as to make the whole perplexing. Complex implies a combination of many associated parts: The composer transformed a simple folk tune into a complex set of variations. Complicated stresses elaborate relationship of parts: 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 stresses confusion arising from the commingling of parts and the consequent difficulty of separating them: 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). Knotty stresses intellectual complexity leading to difficulty of solution or comprehension: Even the professor couldn't clarify the knotty point. |
complex
Adjective
1. made up of interconnected parts
2. intricate or complicated
3. Maths of or involving complex numbers
Noun
1. a whole made up of related parts: a leisure complex including a gymnasium, squash courts, and a 20-metre swimming pool
2. Psychoanal a group of unconscious feelings that influences a person's behaviour
3. Informal an obsession or phobia: I have never had a complex about my height [Latin com- together + plectere to braid]
USAGE: Complex is sometimes used where complicated is meant. Complex should be used to say only that something consists of several parts rather than that, because something consists of many parts, it is difficult to understand or analyse.
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.
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  complex - a conceptual whole made up of complicated and related parts; "the complex of shopping malls, houses, and roads created a new town"whole - all of something including all its component elements or parts; "Europe considered as a whole"; "the whole of American literature" hybrid - a composite of mixed origin; "the vice-presidency is a hybrid of administrative and legislative offices" syndrome - a complex of concurrent things; "every word has a syndrome of meanings" |
| 2. | complex - a compound described in terms of the central atom to which other atoms are bound or coordinated hydrochloride - a complex consisting of an organic base in association with hydrogen chloride chemical compound, compound - (chemistry) a substance formed by chemical union of two or more elements or ingredients in definite proportion by weight | |
| 3. | complex - (psychoanalysis) a combination of emotions and impulses that have been rejected from awareness but still influence a person's behavior feeling - the experiencing of affective and emotional states; "she had a feeling of euphoria"; "he had terrible feelings of guilt"; "I disliked him and the feeling was mutual" depth psychology, psychoanalysis, analysis - a set of techniques for exploring underlying motives and a method of treating various mental disorders; based on the theories of Sigmund Freud; "his physician recommended psychoanalysis" Oedipal complex, Oedipus complex - a complex of males; desire to possess the mother sexually and to exclude the father; said to be a source of personality disorders if unresolved Electra complex - a complex of females; sexual attraction to the father inferiority complex - a sense of personal inferiority arising from conflict between the desire to be noticed and the fear of being humiliated | |
| 4. |  complex - a whole structure (as a building) made up of interconnected or related structurescollege - a complex of buildings in which an institution of higher education is housed industrial plant, plant, works - buildings for carrying on industrial labor; "they built a large plant to manufacture automobiles" ribbon development - building complex in a continuous row along a road structure, construction - a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts; "the structure consisted of a series of arches"; "she wore her hair in an amazing construction of whirls and ribbons" | |
| Adj. | 1. | complex - complicated in structure; consisting of interconnected parts; "a complex set of variations based on a simple folk melody"; "a complex mass of diverse laws and customs" difficult, hard - not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure; "a difficult task"; "nesting places on the cliffs are difficult of access"; "difficult times"; "why is it so hard for you to keep a secret?" compound - composed of more than one part; "compound leaves are composed of several lobes; "compound flower heads" simple - having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved; "a simple problem"; "simple mechanisms"; "a simple design"; "a simple substance" |
complex
adjective 2. complicated, difficult, involved, mixed, elaborate, tangled, mingled, intricate, tortuous, convoluted, knotty, labyrinthine, circuitous << OPPOSITE simple
noun 4. (Informal) obsession, preoccupation, phobia, fixation, fixed idea, idée fixe (French)
USAGE Although complex and complicated are close in meaning, care should be taken when using one as a synonym of the other. Complex should be used to say that something consists of several parts rather than that it is difficult to understand, analyse, or deal with, which is what complicated inherently means. In the following real example a clear distinction is made between the two words: the British benefits system is phenomenally complex and is administered by a complicated range of agencies.
Translations
adj complex [ˈkompleks, (American ) kəmˈpleks]
1 composed of many parts a complex piece of machinery. gekompliseerd, ingewikkeld, kompleks, samegesteld مُرَكَّب съставен složený kompliceret; sammensat; kompleks zusammengesetzt πολυσύνθετος complejo kompleksne مرکب؛ پیچیده moniosainen complexe מוּרכַּב जटिल složen, sastavljen összetett gabungan margbrotinn, flókinn complesso 複合の 복합의 sudėtinis salikts kompleks ingewikkeld kompleks, sammensatt, flersidig złożony complexo complex сложный zložitý sestavljen složen sammansatt ซับซ้อน kompleks, karmaşık 合成的,復合的 складний; комплексний مرکب phức tạp 合成的；复合的
2 complicated or difficult a complex problem. ingewikkeld مُعَقَّد сложен složitý kompliceret; vanskelig kompliziert περίπλοκος, δύσκολος complejo keeruline پیچیده؛ بغرنج monimutkainen complexe מוּרכַּב, מְסוּבַּך जटिल zamršen, kompliciran bonyolult rumit margbrotinn, flókinn complesso 複雑な 복잡한 painus, sudėtingas komplicēts; sarežģīts rumi ingewikkeld innviklet, floket, komplisert skomplikowany complexo complex сложный zložitý zapleten kompleksan komplicerad, invecklad ซับซ้อน; ยาก kompleks, anlaşılması güç 復雜的 складний پیچیدہ ، دشوار rắc rối 复杂的
[ˈkompleks] n
1 something made up of many different pieces The leisure complex will include a swimming-pool, tennis courts, a library etc. geheel, kompleks, samestel, samestelling مُجَمَّع مبانٍ، مُنْشَأَه цялост komplex; celek kompleks der Komplex συγκρότημα, κτ. που αποτελείται από πολλά διαφορετικά μέρη complejo kompleks مجتمع؛ مجموعه kompleksi ensemble תִשׁלוּבֶת בִּניָנִים जटिल skup, cjelina, kompleks kombinát kompleks (húsa)samstæða complesso 複合体 복합체, 단지(團地) kompleksas komplekss kompleks complex kompleks, sammensatt hele kompleks conjunto complex комплекс komplex kompleks kompleks anläggning, komplex สิ่งที่สลับซับซ้อน site, tesisler 合成物；復合物 комплекс کئی حصوں سے بنا ہوا khu liên hợp 合成物；复合物
2 (often used loosely) an abnormal mental state caused by experiences in one's past which affect one's behaviour She has a complex about her weight; inferiority complex. fiksasie, kompleks عُقْدَه псих. комплекс komplex kompleks der Komplex σύμπλεγμα, κόμπλεξ complejo kompleks عقده kompleksi complexe תָּסבִּיך मनोग्रंथी kompleks komplexus kompleks geðhnútur, duld complesso コンプレックス 콤플렉스 kompleksas komplekss kompleks complex kompleks kompleks complexo complex комплекс komplex kompleks kompleks komplex ความคิดหรือกิจกรรมที่สัมพันธ์กัน kompleks, duygu karmaşası 變態心理 комплекс, пунктик ذہنی احساس mặc cảm 变态心理
n complexity [kəmˈpleksəti]
1 the quality of being complex. gekompliseerdheid, ingewikkeldheid, kompleksiteit, samegesteldheid تَعْقيد сложност složitost kompleks tilstand; indviklet tilstand die Vielfalt περιπλοκότητα complejidad keerulisus پیچیدگی kompleksisuus complexité מוּרכָּבוּת जटिलता zapletenost, složenost, sastavljenost bonyolultság kerumitan margbrotið eðli complessità 複雑さ 복잡성 sudėtingumas, painumas sarežģītība kerumitan ingewikkeldheid innviklet tilstand/forhold złożoność complexitate сложность zložitosť zapletenost složenost sammansatt (invecklad, komplicerad) beskaffenhet ความซับซ้อน karmaşıklık 複雜性 складність; заплутаність پیچیدگی tình trạng phức tạp 复杂性
2 something complex. ingewikkeld, samegesteld شَيء مُعَقَّد заплетеност složitost; komplexnost indviklethed; kompleksitet die Schwierigkeit περιπλοκή complejidad keerukus هر چیز پیچیده kompleksinen asia complexité מוּרכָּב पेचीदगी kompleksnost összetett volta vminek kerumitan flókið mál complessità 複雑なもの 복잡한 것 sudėtingas dalykas komplicētība hal yang rumit gecompliceerdheid floke, forvikling zawiłość complexidade complexitate что-л. сложное zložitosť zapletenost kompleksnost komplikation, krånglighet สิ่งที่ซับซ้อน karmaşık şey 復雜的事物 комплексність کوئی پیچیدہ چیز điều phức tạp 复杂的事物
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