What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Profound vs Complex - What's the difference?

profound | complex |

As adjectives the difference between profound and complex

is that profound is descending far below the surface; opening or reaching to great depth; deep while complex is made up of multiple parts; composite; not simple.

As nouns the difference between profound and complex

is that profound is (obsolete) the deep; the sea; the ocean while complex is a problem.

As verbs the difference between profound and complex

is that profound is (obsolete) to cause to sink deeply; to cause to dive or penetrate far down while complex is (chemistry|intransitive) to form a complex with another substance.

profound

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Descending far below the surface; opening or reaching to great depth; deep.
  • * (rfdate),
  • A gulf profound
  • Very deep; very serious
  • Intellectually deep; entering far into subjects; reaching to the bottom of a matter, or of a branch of learning; thorough; as, a profound investigation or treatise; a profound scholar; profound wisdom.
  • *
  • Characterized by intensity; deeply felt; pervading; overmastering; far-reaching; strongly impressed; as, a profound sleep.
  • * (rfdate),
  • Profound sciatica
  • * (rfdate),
  • Of the profound corruption of this class there can be no doubt.
  • Bending low, exhibiting or expressing deep humility; lowly; submissive; as, a profound bow.
  • * (rfdate)
  • What humble gestures! What profound reverence!

    Noun

    (-)
  • (obsolete) The deep; the sea; the ocean.
  • God in the fathomless profound / Hath all this choice commanders drowned. Sandys .
  • (obsolete) An abyss.
  • (Milton)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To cause to sink deeply; to cause to dive or penetrate far down.
  • (Sir Thomas Browne)
  • (obsolete) To dive deeply; to penetrate.
  • complex

    Adjective

    (complex number) (en adjective)
  • Made up of multiple parts; composite; not simple.
  • a complex''' being; a '''complex idea
  • * John Locke
  • Ideas thus made up of several simple ones put together, I call complex ; such as beauty, gratitude, a man, an army, the universe.
  • Not simple, easy, or straightforward; complicated.
  • * Whewell
  • When the actual motions of the heavens are calculated in the best possible way, the process is difficult and complex .
  • (mathematics) Of a number, of the form a + bi'', where ''a'' and ''b'' are real numbers and ''i is a square root of −1.
  • complex function
  • (geometry) A curve, polygon or other figure that crosses or intersects itself.
  • Synonyms

    * (not simple) complicated, detailed, difficult, hard, intricate, involved, tough

    Antonyms

    * (not simple) basic, easy, simple, straightforward

    Derived terms

    * complexity * complexness

    Noun

  • A problem.
  • A collection of buildings with a common purpose, such as a university or military base.
  • Assemblage of related things; collection.
  • * South
  • This parable of the wedding supper comprehends in it the whole complex of all the blessings and privileges exhibited by the gospel.
  • 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= Katie L. Burke
  • , magazine=(American Scientist), title= In the News , passage=Oxygen levels on Earth skyrocketed 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria evolved photosynthesis:

    Derived terms

    * military-entertainment complex * military-industrial complex * Oedipus complex * prison-industrial complex * vitamin B complex * protein complex * chelate complex

    Verb

    (es)
  • (chemistry) To form a complex with another substance