Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. The natural color, texture, and appearance of the skin, especially of the face.
- n. General character, aspect, or appearance: findings that will alter the complexion of the problem.
- n. A viewpoint, inclination, or attitude: a conservative political complexion.
- n. The combination of the four humors of cold, heat, moistness, and dryness in specific proportions, thought in ancient and medieval physiology to control the temperament and the constitution of the body.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. Temperament, habitude, or natural disposition of the body or mind; constitutional condition or tendency; character; nature.
- n. The color or hue of the skin, particularly of that of the face.
- n. The general appearance of anything; aspect.
- n. The state of being complex; complexity; involution; combination; also, a complex.
- To characterize by or endow with a disposition or temperament.
- n. In psychology, a term proposed for a certain type of mental connection or association. See the extract.
Wiktionary
- n. The quality, colour, or appearance of the skin on the face.
- n. The outward appearance of something.
- n. Outlook, attitude, or point of view.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. The state of being complex; complexity.
- n. A combination; a complex.
- n. The bodily constitution; the temperament; habitude, or natural disposition; character; nature.
- n. The color or hue of the skin, esp. of the face.
- n. The general appearance or aspect.
WordNet 3.0
- v. give a certain color to
- n. texture and appearance of the skin of the face
- n. (obsolete) a combination of elements (of dryness and warmth or of the four humors) that was once believed to determine a person's health and temperament
- n. a point of view or general attitude or inclination
- n. a combination that results from coupling or interlinking
- n. the coloring of a person's face
Etymologies
- Middle English complexioun, physical constitution, from Old French complexion, from Late Latin complexiō, complexiōn-, balance of the humors, from Latin, combination, from complexus, past participle of complectī, to entwine; see complect.
Examples
“If your complexion is a bit sallow or rosy, pick a wheat shade of blond.”
“I used to be pretty, with porcelain complexion; I used to be slim; I used to be dynamic and active --- all that is gone, at least for now.”
“My secret to a clear, healthy, zit-free complexion is now yours.”
All Things Girl » All Things Girl » Blog Archive » Skin Care Secret
“That ferocity perhaps explains why her porcelain complexion quickly reddens inside the protective headgear fencing requires.”
“She does look warm and pretty next to pasty Edward, but his palid complexion is just frightening here. the previous poster was much more appealling, alluring, and more likely for viewers to actually ditch their old movies and take this one. ilovethecullens (10/9/2008 5: 19: 17 PM) i dont really like it, they could've done a lot better”
Final ‘Twilight’ Poster Hits Net. What Do You Think? » MTV Movies Blog
“Seeing more pores and a naturally glowing complexion is worth $66 to me.”
“Patches of eczema rouge my cheeks, while Ruby's complexion is fair and flawless.”
“His complexion is white dashed with red and he is well-bred, pleasant and generous and doth thus and thus.”
“Paradise,83 differing in complexion but fellows in incomparable beauty; and all hearts yearned with desire to the swaying of their bending shapes, even to what saith the poet,”
“His complexion is so unblemished that, like Elijah Wood in the Lord of the Rings films, he appears to have had his face covered with a thin layer of plastic film.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘complexion’.
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