Definitions for complex
kəmˈplɛks, ˈkɒm plɛks; ˈkɒm plɛkscom·plex

Princeton's WordNet(4.26 / 8 votes)Rate this definition:

1. complex, compositenoun

   a conceptual whole made up of complicated and related parts

   "the complex of shopping malls, houses, and roads created a new town"

2. complex, coordination compoundnoun

   a compound described in terms of the central atom to which other atoms are bound or coordinated

3. complexnoun

   (psychoanalysis) a combination of emotions and impulses that have been rejected from awareness but still influence a person's behavior

4. building complex, complexadjective

   a whole structure (as a building) made up of interconnected or related structures

5. complexadjective

   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"

Wiktionary(3.60 / 10 votes)Rate this definition:

1. complexnoun

   A problem.

   Etymology: From complexe, from complexus, past participle of complecti, from com- and plectere. See complect.

2. complexnoun

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

   Etymology: From complexe, from complexus, past participle of complecti, from com- and plectere. See complect.

3. complexnoun

   A psychologically based dislike or fear of a particular thing.

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

   Etymology: From complexe, from complexus, past participle of complecti, from com- and plectere. See complect.

4. complexnoun

   A thunderstorm that forms when two storm fronts collide.

   Etymology: From complexe, from complexus, past participle of complecti, from com- and plectere. See complect.

5. complexnoun

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

   Etymology: From complexe, from complexus, past participle of complecti, from com- and plectere. See complect.

6. complexverb

   To form a complex with another substance

   Etymology: From complexe, from complexus, past participle of complecti, from com- and plectere. See complect.

7. complexadjective

   Made up of multiple parts; intricate or detailed.

   Etymology: From complexe, from complexus, past participle of complecti, from com- and plectere. See complect.

8. complexadjective

   Not simple or straightforward.

   Etymology: From complexe, from complexus, past participle of complecti, from com- and plectere. See complect.

9. complexadjective

   Of a number, of the form a + bi, where a and b are real numbers and i is the square root of 1.

   Etymology: From complexe, from complexus, past participle of complecti, from com- and plectere. See complect.

10. complexadjective

    A curve, polygon or other figure that crosses or intersects itself.

    Etymology: From complexe, from complexus, past participle of complecti, from com- and plectere. See complect.

Webster Dictionary(2.67 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Complexnoun

   composed of two or more parts; composite; not simple; as, a complex being; a complex idea

   Etymology: [L. complexus]

2. Complexnoun

   involving many parts; complicated; intricate

   Etymology: [L. complexus]

3. Complexnoun

   assemblage of related things; collection; complication

   Etymology: [L. complexus]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Complex

   kom′pleks, adj. composed of more than one, or of many parts: not simple: intricate: difficult.—n. a complex whole.—v.t. to complicate.—ns. Complex′edness, Com′plexness, Complex′ity, state of being complex: complication.—adv. Com′plexly.—n. Complex′us, a complicated system: a large muscle of the back, passing from the spine to the head. [L. complex—com, together, and root of plicāre, to fold. See Complicate.]

Matched Categories

1. • Compound
   • Feeling
   • Psychoanalysis
   • Whole

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'complex' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1404

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'complex' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2988

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'complex' in Nouns Frequency: #1447

4. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'complex' in Adjectives Frequency: #169

How to pronounce complex?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say complex in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of complex in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of complex in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of complex in a Sentence

1. Seth Pollak:

   Still, there is a brain difference and an achievement difference between these( poor) children and middle-class children, accounting for 20 or 25 percent of something complex like how well kids are doing in achievement tests is huge.

2. Tamara Lawrence:

   We train and operate in dynamic, complex and ambiguous environments and our operators are empowered and trusted to independently make difficult decisions during missions, they have consistently proven that their empowerment and trust is warranted. Allegations that indicate otherwise are, and will continue to be, investigated by the appropriate military and law enforcement authorities.

3. Dmitry Shlyakhtin:

   It won't aggravate (the situation), it's complex anyway.

4. Stuart Kim:

   These supercentenarians have a different clock where they are staying really highly functional for a long time. We wanted to know what they had. It's pretty clearly genetic, The results indicate that the genetic effect must be complex. It must be many genes, or different genes in each supercentenarian, that gives them the edge to live an extremely long time.

5. Wendell Berry:

   Without a complex knowledge of one’s place and without the faithfulness to one’s place on which such knowledge depends, it is inevitable that the place will be used carelessly, and eventually destroyed. Without such knowledge and faithfulness, moreover, the culture of a country will be superficial and decorative, functional only insofar as it may be a symbol of prestige, the affectation of an elite or “in” group.

Images & Illustrations of complex

Popularity rank by frequency of use