Complex
/ˈkɒm.pleks/noun
Made of many interconnected parts; not simple.
Did you know?Its Latin ancestor, *complexus*, comes from *com-* (“together”) + *plectere* (“to weave, braid, entwine”), so the word originally described something physically entwined before it described complicated thoughts.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*plek-
“to weave, braid, twist”
Latin
Latin
plectere
“to weave, braid, entwine”
Latin
Latin
complexus
“interwoven; entwined; embraced”
Late Latin / Old French
Latin/French
complexe
“composed of parts; intricate”
16th Century
English
complex
“composed of many parts; intricate”
Modern English
English
complex
“made up of many interconnected parts; not simple”
Explore more surprising origins