LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinefourth declension

complexus

complexus m (genitive complexūs)

Meaning

  1. masculinean embrace, (euphemistic) a sexual act
  2. masculinetie, bond
  3. Late Latinmasculinethe totality
  4. Late Latinmasculinesociety as a whole
  5. Late Latinmasculineunderstanding

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

bracchia circum corpus data
complexus -ūs (m) — in Metamorphoses I, ch. 8

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecomplexus
conplexus		complexūs
conplexūs
genitivecomplexūs
conplexūs		complexuum
conplexuum
dativecomplexuī
conplexuī		complexibus
conplexibus
accusativecomplexum
conplexum		complexūs
conplexūs
ablativecomplexū
conplexū		complexibus
conplexibus
vocativecomplexus
conplexus		complexūs
conplexūs

complexus, a, um, Part., from complector.
complexus (con-), ūs, m. complector,
I. a surrounding, encompassing, encircling, embracing, embrace, etc. (class. in prose and poetry).
I. Lit.
A. Prop.
1. Of things (rare): aether Omnia avido complexu cetera saepsit, Lucr. 5, 471; so id. 2, 1066: qui (mundus) omnia complexu suo coërcet et continet, Cic. N. D. 2, 22, 58; 2, 40, 101: lapides alligati complexu silicis, by a binding, Plin. 36, 22, 45, § 161.—
2. Of persons: secutae conlocutiones cum Trebonio complexusque, Cic. Phil. 11, 2, 5: corporum, id. Tusc. 3, 20, 46: e complexu parentum abreptos filios ad necem ducere, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 3, § 7: ubi complexu coierunt membra tenaci, in a mutual close embrace, Ov. M. 4, 377: complexu matris avellere natam, Cat. 62, 21; cf. id. 64, 88; 64, 118; Cic. Font. 17, 36; id. Fl. 38, 95; Liv. 2, 40, 5; Quint. 6, 1, 42; 8, 3, 68: Venerio, in copulation, Cic. Div. 2, 69, 143.—In plur., * Hor. S, 1, 5, 43; Verg. A. 5, 742; Ov. M. 3, 286; 10, 388; 6, 249.—Rarely (like complector itself), of hostile embrace, close combat: in Martis complexu cadere, Quint. Decl. 4, 22: armorum, Tac. Agr. 36; cf. of a serpent: longis amplexibus illos necat, Ov. M. 3, 48: luctari complexu, Plin. 9, 30, 48, § 91.—
B. Transf., as a measure, the reach: (cedrus) crassitudinis ad trium hominum conplexum, Plin. 16, 40, 76, § 203.—
II. Trop.
A. A connection in discourse (very freq. in Quint.): vitium non est in sensu, sed in complexu, Quint. 1, 5, 46; cf. id. 9, 4, 32: brevis verborum, id. 7, 3, 18: sermonis, id. 9, 3, 18: in complexu loquendi serieque, id. 1, 5, 3: legum aliorumque scriptorum, id. 5, 10, 107: causarum, id. 5, 10, 103; 7, 2, 57: rerum, personarum, temporum, id. 3, 5, 7 et saep.—
B. A friendly embracing, love, affectionate relation, etc.: venisti in sinum et complexum tuae mimulae, Cic. Phil. 2, 25, 61; cf.: res publica Pompeii filium suo sinu complexuque recipiet, id. ib. 13, 4, 9; id. Pis. 9, 19: totius gentis humanae, id. Fin. 5, 23, 65; id. Cat. 2, 10, 22: at tu easdem artes in complexu, oculis, auribus habes, Plin. Pan. 47, 2.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
  3. Proto-Italic*kom
  4. Proto-Italic*kom-
  5. Latincomplexus

Proto-Indo-European *pel- Proto-Indo-European *pleḱ-der. Proto-Italic *plektōder. Latin plectō Latin complector Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Italic *-tus Latin -tus Latin complexus From complector + -tus (action noun suffix). (embrace): Compare typologically Turkish sarılma (a verbal noun of sarılmak, akin to sarmak).

Quick answers

What does complexus mean in Latin?
complexus, a noun, means “an embrace, (euphemistic) a sexual act; tie, bond; the totality”.
What is the genitive of complexus?
The genitive singular is complexūs. complexus is masculine, fourth declension.
Where does complexus come from?
Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? → Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm → Proto-Italic *kom → Proto-Italic *kom- → Latin complexus.