complex

com•plex

adj., v. [[t]kəmˈplɛks, ˈkɒm plɛks[/t]] n. [[t]ˈkɒm plɛks[/t]] adj.

1) composed of many interconnected parts; compound; composite:

a complex system[/ex]

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

complex machinery[/ex]

3) so complicated or intricate as to be hard to understand or deal with:

a complex problem[/ex]

4) gram. (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[/ex]

5) math. pertaining to or using complex numbers:

complex methods; complex vector space[/ex]

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

an apartment complex[/ex]

7) psl prs 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) chem.

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 2)

10) biochem. an entity composed of molecules in which the constituents maintain much of their chemical identity:

receptor-hormone complex[/ex]

11) biochem. chem. Chem. to form a complex with

12) biochem. chem. Chem. to form a complex

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Etymology: 1645–55; (adj.) < L complexus, ptp. of complectī, complectere to embrace, encompass, include com•plex′ly, adv. com•plex′ness, n.