complect: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low / ObsoleteFormal / Archaic / Technical
Quick answer
What does “complect” mean?
To interweave, intertwine, or connect closely.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To interweave, intertwine, or connect closely.
To make something complex by combining many interrelated parts; to form a complex whole.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant regional differences due to extreme rarity. The word is equally obscure in both varieties.
Connotations
Archaic, scholarly, possibly pretentious if used in modern contexts.
Frequency
Effectively zero in contemporary corpora for both BrE and AmE.
Grammar
How to Use “complect” in a Sentence
[Subject] complects [Object][Subject] complects [Object 1] with [Object 2]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “complect” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The author sought to complect the twin themes of love and loss throughout the novel.
- Ancient philosophies often complect the physical and spiritual worlds.
American English
- The engineer explained how the new system would complect multiple data streams.
- Their fates were complected from the very beginning.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial form in use.
American English
- No standard adverbial form in use.
adjective
British English
- No standard adjectival form in use.
American English
- No standard adjectival form in use.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Extremely rare, possibly in historical texts on philosophy or systems theory.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Rarely, in specialised discourse on complexity or weaving.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “complect”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “complect”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “complect”
- Using it as a synonym for 'complete'.
- Using it in place of the more common 'complicate'.
- Assuming it is in active modern vocabulary.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is extremely rare and considered archaic or highly formal in modern English.
Confusing it with the much more common word 'complete'.
For most learners, it is more practical to learn its synonyms like 'interweave' or 'intertwine'.
The related noun is 'complection', but it is equally rare and obsolete.
To interweave, intertwine, or connect closely.
Complect is usually formal / archaic / technical in register.
Complect: in British English it is pronounced /kəmˈplɛkt/, and in American English it is pronounced /kəmˈplɛkt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'COMPLEX' + 'CONNECT' = COMPLECT (to make complex by connecting).
Conceptual Metaphor
IDEAS ARE THREADS (to complect ideas is to weave them together).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the closest synonym for 'complect'?