[f. L. complex-us COMPLEX + -ITY: cf. mod.F. complexité.] The quality or condition of being complex.
1. Composite nature or structure.
a. 1721. Keill, Maupertuis’ Diss. (1734), 27. Bulffinger, rejecting this complexity of Motion, starts a third System.
1847. Emerson, Repr. Men, Goethe, Wks. (Bohn), I. 394. The highest simplicity of structure is produced, not by few elements, but by the highest complexity.
1859. Darwin, in Life & Lett. (1887), II. 210. A tendency to advance in complexity of organisation.
2. Involved nature or structure, intricacy; see COMPLEX a. 2.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., 91. The objects of society are of the greatest possible complexity.
1837. Thirlwall, Greece, IV. xxviii. 26. Some transactions … gave a singular complexity to the affairs of the contending parties.
1862. Buckle, Civiliz. (1873), III. v. 301. Partly from the complexity of the subject, all attempts at a scientific investigation of morals have failed.
b. Gram. see COMPLEX a. 2 c.
1872. Minto, Eng. Lit., Introd. 5. ‘Complexity’ in the grammatical sense, must be regarded as an accident of the period and not part of its essence.
3. quasi-concr. An instance of complexity; a complicated condition; a complication.
1794. Godwin, Cal. Williams, 183. Not for one hour could I withdraw myself from this complexity of horrors.
1859. Tennyson, Merlin & V., 731. The … many-corridor’d complexities Of Arthur’s palace.
1869. J. Martineau, Ess., II. 144. The complexities which were to vanish under their skill.
