complexion

B2 Topic:Nature & Landscape

US /kəmˈplɛkʃən/ See IPA manual

Freq #14500

Meanings

1

noun
The natural colour and look of the skin on a person's face.

She has a fair complexion that burns easily in the sun.
2

noun
The general nature or character of something.

One late goal completely changed the complexion of the match.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms complexions

Derived forms complexionarycomplexionlessdiscomplexion

Related forms complect complexcomplexional

Common collocations

ruddy complexion Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Middle English complexion (“temperament”), from Old French complexion (French complexion), from Medieval Latin complexiō (“complexion, constitution”), from complector, past participle complexus (“to entwine, encompass”).

*pleḱ- Proto-Indo-European complexion Middle English complexiō la-med

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Nature & Landscape

External links

# complexion

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /kəmˈplɛkʃən/
**Frequency rank:** 14500

## Meanings
1. The natural colour and look of the skin on a person's face.
2. The general nature or character of something.

## Examples
- She has a fair complexion that burns easily in the sun.
- One late goal completely changed the complexion of the match.

## Derived Forms
- complexionary
- complexionless
- discomplexion

## Related Forms
- complect
- complex
- complexional

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *pleḱ-
- Root: complexion
- Root: complexiō

## Etymology
From Middle English complexion (“temperament”), from Old French complexion (French complexion), from Medieval Latin complexiō (“complexion, constitution”), from complector, past participle complexus (“to entwine, encompass”).

## AI Etymology
complexion is a noun and verb. It is from Middle English complexion (“temperament”), from Old French complexion (French complexion), from Medieval Latin complexiō (“complexion, constitution”), from complector, past participle complexus (“to entwine, encompass”). Historical forms in the chain include *pleḱ- (Proto-Indo-European), complexion (Middle English), complexion (Old French), and complexiō (Medieval Latin). Current senses include the natural colour and look of the skin on a person's face and the general nature or character of something. Derived forms include complexionary, complexionless, and discomplexion. Related words include complect, complex, and complexional.

## Topics
- Nature & Landscape

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