Dictionary

complicate en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈkɒmplɪkət/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

First attested in the early 17th century; borrowed from Latin complicātus, perfect passive participle of complicō (“to fold together, fold up”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from con- (“with, together with, in the company of, in connection with, along with, together, and”) + plicō (“to fold, wind, coil”); see plaid, and compare complex. See also Middle English complicate (“involved”).

Meanings

1. (obsolete) Intertwined.
2. (archaic, poetic) Complex, complicated.
   • How poor ? how rich ? how abject ? how auguſt ? ¶ How complicat ? how wonderful is Man ? 1742, [Edward Young], “Night the First”, in The Complaint: Or, Night-Thoughts on Life, Death, & Immortality, London: […] R[obert] Dodsley […], →OCLC, page 5, lines 67–68:

Forms

Deriveds

complicate fever · complicateness · complicately

complicate en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈkɑmplɪkeɪt/ (General-American)
• /ˈkɒmplɪkeɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

First attested in the early 17th century; borrowed from Latin complicātus, perfect passive participle of complicō (“to fold together, fold up”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from con- (“with, together with, in the company of, in connection with, along with, together, and”) + plicō (“to fold, wind, coil”); see plaid, and compare complex. See also Middle English complicate (“involved”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To make complex; to modify so as to make something intricate or difficult.
   • Let us, however, put aside for the moment the mendacities and forgeries which complicate the question of Lucifer, and let us approach Palladism from an altogether different side. 1896, Arthur Edward Waite, “Chapter 14”, in Devil-Worship in France, or the Question of Lucifer:
2. (transitive) To involve in a convoluted matter.
   • The DA has made every effort to complicate me in the scandal.
   • Don't complicate yourself in issues that are beyond the scope of your understanding.
   • John has been complicated in the affair by new tapes that surfaced.
3. (transitive) To coexist with (another disease) creating a complication.
   • Masked or larvate malaria, like pernicious malaria, needs complete overhauling. Nearly every disease in the category has been confounded with malaria and classed as larvate. This heterogeneous group has been expanded to embrace diseases unrelated to malaria, diseases complicating malaria, and symptoms and sequelæ of malaria. 1909, William Heiskell Deaderick, A Practical Study of Malaria, page 232:

Forms

Antonyms

simplify · decomplexify · uncomplicate

Deriveds

complicator · complicative · overcomplicate · uncomplicate · recomplicate · decomplicate · simplicate

Hyponyms

confuse · hinder · overcomplicate · simplicate · recomplicate

Relateds

entangle · twist · explicate · complexity · complex · implicate · entrap · complication

Synonyms

involve · make a meal of · complexify · elaborate · entangle · desimplify · complicate · mix up · complify · jazz · perplex · mire · confuscate · embroil · complex · intricate · involve

Translations (40)

ca complicar (to combine intricately) · uk ускла́днювати (to combine intricately) · gd cuir tro-chèile (to combine intricately) · es complejizar (to combine intricately) · it complicare (to combine intricately) · eo kompliki (to combine intricately) · fi sekoittaa (to combine intricately) · pl skomplikować (to combine intricately) · cs komplikovat (to combine intricately) · ro complica (to combine intricately) · ia complicar (to combine intricately) · pt complicar (to combine intricately) · fr compliquer (to combine intricately) · cmn 弄複雜 /弄复杂 (to combine intricately) · ru усложня́ть (to combine intricately) · ru осложня́ть (to combine intricately) · hu komplikál (to combine intricately) · he סיבך (to combine intricately) · es complicar (to combine intricately) · cmn 複雜化 /复杂化 (to combine intricately) · ka გაართულებს (to combine intricately) · pl komplikować (to combine intricately) · ru усложни́ть (to combine intricately) · hy բարդացնել (to combine intricately) · bg усложня́вам (to combine intricately) · ar عَقَّدَ (to combine intricately) · nb komplisere (to combine intricately) · uk ускладни́ти (to combine intricately) · da komplicere (to combine intricately) · nl compliceren (to combine intricately) · ja 複雑にする (to combine intricately) · vi làm phức tạp (to combine intricately) · ast complicar (to combine intricately) · ru осложни́ть (to combine intricately) · de komplizieren (to combine intricately) · hu bonyolít (to combine intricately) · lv komplicēt (to combine intricately) · lv sarežģīt (to combine intricately) · ar تَعَقَّدَ (to combine intricately) · sv komplicera (to combine intricately)