complexity

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noun com·plex·i·ty \kəm-ˈplek-sə-tē, käm-\

Definition of complexity

plural

complexities

1 : something complex the complexities of the murder trial
2 : the quality or state of being complex the complexity of the contract

See complexity defined for English-language learners

See complexity defined for kids

Examples of complexity in a Sentence

He was impressed by the complexity of the music.
The diagram illustrates the complexity of the cell's structure.
He doesn't grasp the complexity of the situation.

Recent Examples of complexity from the Web

The answer could help scientists understand the complexities of both stellar and black hole formation.

— amina khan, sacbee, "Black hole collision confirms another part of Einstein's theory of relativity", 1 June 2017
The central bank had already been battling pessimistic traders by repeatedly strengthening the daily fixing, while an opaque change to the setting announced Friday added to the complexity of betting on future movements.

— Bloomberg.com, "China Teaches Yuan Bears Tough Lesson as Currency Surges", 31 May 2017
Khalil’s death provides insight into the difficulty and complexity of investigating child abuses cases, especially the ones that result in death.

— deanna boyd, star-telegram, "Somebody beat Khalil Gilbert to death, but his killer remains free", 31 May 2017
The following books depict women outside of sentimentality and place them at the center of difficult journeys or in situations that celebrate the complexity of their identities as women, Latinas and of course, mothers.

— rigoberto gonzález, NBC News, "Summer Reads: 7 Latino Books About Mothers", 31 May 2017
If popular teaching tropes reduce students’ complexity, so do ineffective classrooms.

— anne beatty, The Atlantic, "Hollywood's Reductive Narratives About School", 30 May 2017
Frank's piece portrayed Schmeling in all his aging complexity, his mixture of pride and sin of omission, expedience in the face of evil, and his tangled sense of moral responsibility.

— sally jenkins, chicagotribune.com, "Frank Deford wrote with sincerity, giving depth to complicated sports figures", 29 May 2017
Factors like mineral rights (including oil and gas leases), septic systems and county/rural regulations can quickly add complexity to rural real estate sales or purchases.

— kansascity, "Team blends rural expertise, tireless focus on ‘helping people’", 26 May 2017
High temperatures call for easy beauty and looks that catch the eye–without adding complexity to your style routine.

— carrie goldberg, Harper's BAZAAR, "GIRL x WORLD: The Maui Edition", 24 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'complexity'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of complexity

see ²complex

First Known Use: 1661

COMPLEXITY Defined for English Language Learners

complexity

play

noun

Definition of complexity for English Language Learners

: the quality or state of not being simple : the quality or state of being complex
: a part of something that is complicated or hard to understand

COMPLEXITY Defined for Kids

complexity

play

noun com·plex·i·ty \kəm-ˈplek-sə-tē\

Definition of complexity for Students

plural

complexities

1 : the quality or condition of being difficult to understand or of lacking simplicity the complexity of a problem
2 : something difficult to understand or lacking simplicity the complexities of business