n. & adj.
n. 1 a building, a series of rooms, a network, etc. made up of related parts (the arts complex). 2 Psychol. a related group of usu. repressed feelings or thoughts which cause abnormal behaviour or mental states (see inferiority complex (see OEDIPUS COMPLEX)). 3 (in general use) a preoccupation or obsession (has a complex about punctuality). 4 Chem. a compound in which molecules or ions form coordinate bonds to a metal atom or ion.
adj. 1 consisting of related parts; composite. 2 complicated (a complex problem). 3 Math. containing real and imaginary parts (cf. IMAGINARY). complex sentence a sentence containing a subordinate clause or clauses. complexity n. (pl. -ies). complexly adv.
[ F complexe or L complexus past part. of complectere embrace, assoc. with complexus plaited ]