Meaning · adjective
complex, complicated
- complex, intricate, subtle
In a sentence
Questo esercizio è più complesso del previsto.
This exercise is more complex than expected.
Hai trovato complessa la spiegazione di ieri?
Did you find yesterday's explanation complicated?
Il problema non è così complesso, dai.
The problem isn't that complex, come on.
Word forms (4)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|
| complesso | masculine · singular |
| complessa | feminine · singular |
| complessi | masculine · plural |
| complesse | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- Use complesso for systems, situations, or ideas; difficile is better for something hard to do or understand personally.
- Before a noun, it often means "overall/whole": il complesso dell'opera = the work as a whole, not "complex work."
- As an adjective, it agrees normally: complesso, complessa, complessi, complesse.
Meaning · noun
complex; band
- complex, composite whole
- complex (psychology)
- musical group, band
- building complex
In a sentence
Il complesso suona stasera in piazza.
The band is playing tonight in the square.
Hai visto il nuovo complesso vicino alla stazione?
Have you seen the new building complex near the station?
Quel ragazzo ha sempre sofferto di un complesso di inferiorità.
That boy has always suffered from an inferiority complex.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|
| complesso | masculine · singular |
| complessi | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- As a noun, complesso is masculine: il complesso, i complessi. Don’t confuse it with the adjective complesso = complex.
- For a music group, complesso sounds dated; band or gruppo is more common in everyday Italian.
- For buildings, complesso often appears in formal compounds like complesso residenziale or complesso industriale.
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