What is the difference between intricate and complex?
intricate | complex |
Having a great deal of fine detail or complexity.
:
*(Joseph Addison) (1672–1719)
*:His style was fit to convey the most intricate business to the understanding with the utmost clearness.
*
*:As a matter of fact its narrow ornate façade presented not a single quiet space that the eyes might rest on after a tiring attempt to follow and codify the arabesques, foliations, and intricate vermiculations of what some disrespectfully dubbed as “near-aissance.”
To become enmeshed or entangled.
* 1864 October 18, J.E. Freund, “
To enmesh or entangle: to cause to intricate.
* 1994 December 12, , “
Made up of multiple parts; composite; not simple.
* John Locke
Not simple, easy, or straightforward; complicated.
* Whewell
(mathematics) Of a number, of the form a + bi'', where ''a'' and ''b'' are real numbers and ''i is a square root of −1.
(geometry) A curve, polygon or other figure that crosses or intersects itself.
A problem.
A collection of buildings with a common purpose, such as a university or military base.
Assemblage of related things; collection.
* South
A psychological dislike or fear of a particular thing.
An organized cluster of thunderstorms.
(chemistry) A structure consisting of a central atom or molecule weakly connected to surrounding atoms or molecules.
* {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=September-October, author=
, magazine=(American Scientist), title= (chemistry) To form a complex with another substance
Complex is a synonym of intricate.
As adjectives the difference between intricate and complex
is that intricate is having a great deal of fine detail or complexity while complex is made up of multiple parts; composite; not simple.As verbs the difference between intricate and complex
is that intricate is to become enmeshed or entangled while complex is to form a complex with another substance.As a noun complex is
a problem.intricate
English
Alternative forms
* entricateEtymology 1
From (etyl) intricatus'' (past participle of ''intricare ).Adjective
(en adjective)Etymology 2
As the adjective; or by analogy with extricateVerb
(intricat)How to Avoid the Use of Lint”, letter to the editor, in The New York Times (1864 October 23):
- washes off easily, without sticking or intricating into the wound.
Avoid Dunkirk II” (essay), in The New York Times :
- But the British and French won't hear of that; they want to get their troops extricated and our ground troops intricated .
Anagrams
* ----complex
English
(wikipedia complex)Adjective
(complex number) (en adjective)- a complex''' being; a '''complex idea
- Ideas thus made up of several simple ones put together, I call complex ; such as beauty, gratitude, a man, an army, the universe.
- When the actual motions of the heavens are calculated in the best possible way, the process is difficult and complex .
- complex function
Synonyms
* (not simple) complicated, detailed, difficult, hard, intricate, involved, toughAntonyms
* (not simple) basic, easy, simple, straightforwardDerived terms
* complexity * complexnessNoun
- This parable of the wedding supper comprehends in it the whole complex of all the blessings and privileges exhibited by the gospel.
Katie L. Burke
In the News, passage=Oxygen levels on Earth skyrocketed 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria evolved photosynthesis: