Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Complexity |
ComplexityNoun1. The quality of being intricate and compounded; "he enjoyed the complexity of modern computers". Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "complexity" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1550. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Computing | Complexity The level in difficulty in solving mathematically posed problems as measured by the time, number of steps or arithmetic operations, or memory space required (called time complexity, computational complexity, and space complexity, respectively). The interesting aspect is usually how complexity scales with the size of the input (the "scalability"), where the size of the input is described by some number N. Thus an algorithm may have computational complexity O(N^2) (of the order of the square of the size of the input), in which case if the input doubles in size, the computation will take four times as many steps. The ideal is a constant time algorithm (O(1)) or failing that, O(N). See also NP-complete. (1994-10-20). Source: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing. |
Math | The intrinsic minimum amount of resources, for instance, memory, time, messages, etc., needed to solve a problem or execute an algorithm. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
Synonym: ComplexitySynonym: complexness (n). (additional references) |
| Antonym: simplicity (n). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Complexity | Noun: complexity; complexness; Adjective: complexus; complication, implication; intricacy, intrication; perplexity; network, labyrinth; wilderness, jungle; involution, raveling, entanglement; coil; (convolution); sleave, tangled skein, knot, Gordian knot, wheels within wheels; kink, gnarl, knarl; webwork. |
Difficulty | Dilemma, embarrassment; deadlock; perplexity; (uncertainty); intricacy; entanglement, complexity; cross fire; awkwardness, delicacy, ticklish card to play, knot, Gordian knot, dignus vindice nodus, net, meshes, maze; coil; (convolution); crooked path; involvement. |
Disorder | Complexity; a. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | What a wonderful thing a woman's hat is Somehow it seems to symbolize the marvelous complexity of her own personality. (Miss Jerry; writing credit: Alexander Black) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | Typical Corps Survey Problem Illustrating the complexity of battlefield surveying. Credit: Coast & Geodetic Survey Historical Image Collection. |  | An image of the stream channel at the Glad Bekken restoration site before restoration. The restoration was conducted to remove and replace an outdated culvert. Then large woody debris was placed in the stream to provide complexity in the streambed. Credit: NOAA Restoration Center. |
 | Draft horses bring woody debris to add complexity to the stream to improve spawning habitat at the Glade Bekken restoration site. Credit: NOAA Restoration Center. |  | Elkhorn and staghorn corals provide beauty and complexity to the reef. Credit: National Undersea Research Program (NURP). |
 | Three-dimensional image of Monterey Canyon, termed a "gully" in this image. This image is the first attempt to depict a 3-dimensional view of a submarine canyon and incorporated soundings from the Coast and Geodetic Survey and the Fish Commission. This highly simplistic view was constructed from relatively sparse soundings and does not capture the complexity of the canyon system. Credit: Sailing for Science - the NOAA Fleet Then and Now. | ||
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
| Author | Date | Quotation |
Brown v. Board of Education | 1954 | Because these are class actions, because of the wide applicability of this decision, and because of the great variety of local conditions, the formulation of decrees in these cases presents problems of considerable complexity. (reference) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Title | Author | Quote |
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man | Joyce, James | The world for all its solid substance and complexity no longer existed for his soul save as a theorem of divine power and love and universality. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | Because of addiction's complexity and pervasive consequences, drug addiction treatment typically must involve many components. (references) | |
Even where enough donors are available, the complexity of the procedure as currently employed can make its routine use infeasible. (references) | ||
Data from several investigators suggest similar complexity of changes in gene expression and/or structure in colon and rectal cancer. (references) | ||
Business | For the end-user, developments in the market have created a growing complexity in choosing operator. (references) | |
The extent of the service and support requirement is directly proportional to the technical complexity of the product. (references) | ||
Complexity of implementation and, particularly for smaller companies, high cost of deployment has been said to be some of the major inhibitors. (references) | ||
Economic History | Morocco | Foreign firms have complained about the complexity of remaining restrictions on foreign exchange. (references) |
Netherlands | Increased complexity and the application of high-tech equipment are major trends for new passenger cars. (references) | |
Kazakhstan | Passed in early 1997, the multiple amendments passed since then have introduced greater complexity in implementation. (references) | |
Human Rights | Russia | Some cases were put on the Court's calendar for fuller consideration, but because of the extreme complexity of the procedure, and because the Government has failed to reply expeditiously or at all to the initial complaints accepted by the ECHR, no cases have yet been heard on their merits. (references) |
Trade | Ukraine | The sizable number of taxes, as well as frequent changes of, and complexity in, tax legislation and reporting requirements were also nearly universally named as serious problems. (references) |
Spain | In view of the complexity and rapid change in marking, labeling and testing requirements in Spain, U.S. exporters should request pertinent instructions from their importers prior to shipment. (references) | |
Worker Rights | Jamaica | Most are decided within 90 days, but some take longer to resolve due to the complexity of the dispute or delays requested by the parties. (references) |
Lexicography | Devil's Dictionary | LETTUCE, n. An herb of the genus Lactuca, "Wherewith," says that pious gastronome, Hengist Pelly, "God has been pleased to reward the good and punish the wicked. For by his inner light the righteous man has discerned a manner of compounding for it a dressing to the appetency whereof a multitude of gustible condiments conspire, being reconciled and ameliorated with profusion of oil, the entire comestible making glad the heart of the godly and causing his face to shine. But the person of spiritual unworth is successfully tempted to the Adversary to eat of lettuce with destitution of oil, mustard, egg, salt and garlic, and with a rascal bath of vinegar polluted with sugar. Wherefore the person of spiritual unworth suffers an intestinal pang of strange complexity and raises the song." |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| Speaker | Term | Phrase(s) |
Harry S. Truman | 1945-1953 | We should not be lulled by the immediate alluring prospects into forgetting the fundamental complexity of modern affairs, the catastrophe that can come in this complexity, or the values that can be wrested from it. |
Jimmy Carter | 1977-1981 | A premature commitment to a high challenge, space-engineering initiative of the complexity of Apollo is inappropriate. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| "Complexity" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 99.88% of the time. "Complexity" is used about 1,730 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (singular) | 99.88% | 1,728 | 4,866 |
| Noun (proper) | 0.06% | 1 | 339,140 |
| Noun (common) | 0.06% | 1 | 339,140 |
| Total | 100.00% | 1,730 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
Expressions using "complexity": complexity analysis ♦ complexity class ♦ complexity measure ♦ computational complexity ♦ cyclomatic complexity ♦ essential complexity ♦ space complexity ♦ time complexity. Additional references. | |
| Hypenated Usage | |
Ending with "complexity": over-complexity. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Language | Translations for "complexity"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Albanian | ndërlikim (complication, implication, involution, sophistication), komplikim, kompleksitet. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arabic | تعقيد (complication, elaboration, intricacy, involvement, perplexity), تعقد (complicate, complication, entanglement, kink, snarl, tangle), شىء معقد (intricacy, snarl). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bulgarian | сложност (complicacy, complication, intricacy, sinuosity), обърканост (blankness, confusion, distraction, fluster, fog, harassment, indigestion, involution, maze, muddle, puzzle, puzzlement). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 複雜性 , 复杂 (Complex, Complexities, Complicated, Intricacies, intricacy, intricate, sophisticate, Sophisticating). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Czech | spletitost (intricacy), složitost (complicacy, intricacy), komplikovanost (complicatedness, difficulty, intricacy). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Danish | kompleksitet (the degree to which the elements of a system are interrelated with each other). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dutch | complexiteit (the degree to which the elements of a system are interrelated with each other). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finnish | monimutkaisuus (complicated nature, intricacy). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | complexité. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | kompliziertheit (elaborateness, intricacy, involvement, trickiness), Umfang (amount, area, bulk, capacity, circumference, compass, comprehensiveness, dimension, elaborateness, extend, extent, fatness, girt, girth, heaviness, largeness, length, perimeter, periphery, range, scale, scope, size, span, spread, thoroughness, volume), komplexität (complexness, sophistication). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | περιπλοκή (complication, entanglement, imbroglio, intricacy, involvement, mystification, perplexity, snarl), περίπλοκο (intricacy, intricateness, maziness), πολυσύνθετο, πολυπλοκότητα (the degree to which the elements of a system are interrelated with each other). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hebrew | מורכבות (intricacy), מסובכות, תסבוכת (complication, mix up, snarl, tangle). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | bonyolultság (complicacy, complication, difficulty, imbroglio, intricacy, subtlety). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indonesian | keruwetan (complication). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | complessit (sophistication). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Kanji | 複雑さ , 複雑 (complication). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Katakana | ふくざつさ, ふくざつ (complication). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Korean | 복합성 (Complexities). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Manx | crampys (problem), castaght (involution). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | omplexitycay complexidade (complicacy, intricacy, involution). (various references) complicaţie (complicacy, complication, intricacy, involution, node, perplexity, Ravel), complexitate (intricacy, puzzle). (various references) сложность (bafflement, complicacy, complication, inextricably, intricacy, multiplicity, sophistication). (various references) složenost (complex, complicacy, complication). (various references) complejidad (intricacy). (various references) komplexitet (complicacy). (various references) zorluk (adversity, arduousness, complication, difficulty, entanglement, gaff, grueling, gruelling, hardness, hardship, hassle, hobble, rigor, rigour, rough, strain, stumbling block, tightness, toughness), karmaşa (blight, complication, higgledy-piggledy, hubbub, involution, moil, rag bag), karışıklık (bedlam, bungle, cataclysm, chaos, clamor, clamour, clutter, commotion, complication, confusion, disarrangement, disorder, disorderliness, disorganization, disturbance, dogs dinner, embroilment, ferment, fermentation, fray, frenzy, fuss, fuss and kerfufle, grab bag, havoc, helter-skelter, higgledy-piggledy, huddle, hugger mugger, huggermugger, hurly burly, imbroglio, indiscrimination, intricacy, involution, jungle, kerfufle, maziness, mess, mishmash, misrule, mix, mix up, muddle, muss, perturbation, pie, pother, pretty kettle of fish, promiscuity, Ravel, riot, rough and tumble, ruckus, ruction, snafu, snarl, snarl up, stir, swirl, tangle, topsyturvy, topsyturvydom, tumble, turbidity, turbulence, unrest, upheaval, upset, wooliness, woolliness), güçlük (adversity, arduousness, complicacy, difficulty, hardship, hassle, hurdle, oppression, rub, stumbling block). (various references) складність (complicacy, complication, multiplicity), заплутаність (anfractuosity, complicacy, complication, embarrassment, embroilment, entanglement, intricacy, involution, perplexity, plexus). (various references) sự rắc rối điều phức tạp (complicacy), sự phức tạp (complicacy, complication). (various references) cymhlethdod. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Misspellings | |
"Complexity" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: complexify. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "complexity" (pronounced kumple"ksutē) |
| 8 | -p l e" k s u t ē | perplexity. |
| 5 | -k s u t ē | laxity. |
| 4 | -s u t ē | adversity, analyticity, animosity, atrocity, audacity, authenticity, biodiversity, capacity, complicity, curiosity, density, diversity, domesticity, duplicity, eccentricity, elasticity, electricity, ethnicity, falsity, Felicity, ferocity, generosity, incapacity, intensity, mendacity, monstrosity, multiplicity, necessity, obesity, opacity, overcapacity, paucity, perversity, pomposity, propensity, publicity, reciprocity, religiosity, scarcity, simplicity, specificity, tenacity, toxicity, university, varsity, velocity, veracity, virtuosity, viscosity, voracity. |
| 3 | -u t ē | ability, abnormality, absurdity, acceptability, accessibility, accountability, acidity, activity, actuality, acuity, adaptability, admissibility, advisability, affinity, affordability, aggressivity, agility, alacrity, alkalinity, ambiguity, amenity, amiability, amity, annuity, anonymity, antiquity, anxiety, applicability, austerity, authority, availability, banality, barbarity, believability, bestiality, bisexuality, brevity, brutality, calamity, capability, captivity, causality, cavity, celebrity, centrality, charity, chastity, civility, clarity, collegiality, commodity, commonality, community, comparability, compatibility, comprehensibility, conditionality, conductivity, confidentiality, conformity, congeniality, congruity, connectivity, constitutionality, continuity, convertibility, creativity, credibility, credulity, criminality, criticality, crotchety, culpability, cyclicality, debility, deductibility, deformity, deity, deniability, dependability, depravity, deputy, desirability, dexterity, dignity, dimensionality, disability, discontinuity, disparity, dissimilarity, disunity, divinity, docility, duality, ductility, durability, electability, eligibility, enforceability, enmity, enormity, entity, equality, equanimity, equity, eternity, eventuality, exclusivity, expressivity, extraterritoriality, extremity, facility, fallibility, familiarity, fatality, feasibility, femininity, fertility, festivity, fidelity, finality, flammability, flexibility, fluidity, formality, fragility, fraternity, frivolity, frugality, functionality, futility, generality, geniality, gentility, gratuity, gravity, gullibility, heredity, heterogeneity, heterosexuality, hilarity, homogeneity, homosexuality, hospitality, hostility, humanity, humidity, humility, hyperactivity, hypersensitivity, identity, illegality, illiquidity, immaturity, immobility, immorality, immortality, immunity, impartiality, impersonality, impossibility, impropriety, impunity, impurity, inability, inaccessibility, inactivity, incivility, incompatibility, incongruity, incredulity, indemnity, indestructibility, indignity, individuality, inequality, inequity, inevitability, infallibility, inferiority, infertility, infidelity, infinity, infirmity, inflexibility, informality, ingenuity, inhumanity, insanity, insecurity, insensitivity, instability, instrumentality, insularity, integrity, invincibility, invisibility, invulnerability, irrationality, irregularity, irresponsibility, irritability, laity, legality, legibility, lethality, levity, liability, liberality, liquidity, lividity, locality, longevity, majority, malleability, maneuverability, marketability, masculinity, materiality, maternity, maturity, mediocrity, mentality, minority, miscibility, mobility, modality, modernity, morality, morbidity, mortality, motility, municipality, musicality, mutuality, nationality, nativity, negativity, neutrality, nobility, Nonconformity, nonentity, nonutility, normality, notoriety, nudity, objectivity, obscenity, obscurity, oddity, opportunity, originality, oversensitivity, palatability, parity, partiality, particularity, passivity, paternity, peculiarity, permeability, perpetuity, personality, piety, plausibility, plurality, polarity, polity, popularity, portability, possibility, posterity, practicality, predictability, principality, priority, probability, probity, proclivity, productivity, profanity, profitability, progressivity, promiscuity, proportionality, propriety, prosperity, proximity, punctuality, purity, quality, quantity, radioactivity, rapidity, rarity, rationality, reactivity, readability, reality, receptivity, reflexivity, regularity, relativity, reliability, respectability, responsibility, retroactivity, rickety, rigidity, salinity, sanctity, sanity, seasonality, security, selectivity, senility, seniority, sensibility, sensitivity, sensuality, sentimentality, serendipity, serenity, severity, sexuality, similarity, sincerity, sobriety, society, solemnity, solidarity, solidity, sorority, speciality, spirituality, spontaneity, stability, sterility, stupidity, subjectivity, suitability, superconductivity, superfluidity, superiority, supermajority, surety, survivability, susceptibility, sustainability, technicality, temerity, theatricality, timidity, tonality, totality, tranquility, transferability, Trinity, triviality, turbidity, ubiquity, unanimity, unavailability, unfamiliarity, uniformity, unity, universality, unpopularity, unpredictability, unreality, unreliability, uppity, utility, validity, vanity, variability, variety, velvety, venality, Verity, versatility, viability, vicinity, virginity, virility, visibility, vitality, volatility, vulgarity, vulnerability. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "c-e-i-l-m-o-p-t-x-y" | |
-2 letters: epicotyl, lipocyte. | |
-3 letters: compile, complex, emptily, exploit, metopic, polemic, telomic, toxemic. | |
-4 letters: citole, clypei, coempt, comely, comity, compel, comply, cotype, employ, exotic, limpet, moiety, motile, motley, myopic, myotic, optime, peyotl, piolet, poetic, police, policy, polite, polity, pyemic, timely, yclept. | |
-5 letters: celom, cimex, clept, clime, clipt, clomp, comet, comix, compt, comte, cylix, cymol, empty, epoxy. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Images: Photo Album 7. Quotations: Historic 8. Quotations: Fiction | 9. Quotations: Non-fiction 10. Quotations: Speeches 11. Usage Frequency 12. Expressions | 13. Expressions: Internet 14. Translations: Modern 15. Derivations 16. Rhymes | 17. Anagrams 18. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
