Complexe

Complexe is a French term used in several related ways. As an adjective, it denotes something composed of interconnected parts or elements. As a noun, it can refer to a group of buildings or facilities that form a single site, such as a shopping complex or a sports complex. In ordinary usage, its sense is close to the English 'complex'.

Architecture and urban planning use the noun sense to describe multiple facilities designed as a unified whole. A 'complexe' may include offices, residences, retail, and entertainment spaces integrated on one campus; examples include industrial complexes, hospital complexes, and resort complexes. The term emphasizes scale, layout, and functional interdependence rather than a single building.

Psychology and popular language adopt 'un complexe' to mean a cluster of related ideas, memories, or emotions that influence behavior. In Freudian and Jungian traditions, a complex can arise from unresolved experiences and may shape thoughts unconsciously. Common examples in French include the 'complexe d'infériorité' (inferiority complex) and the 'complexe de Oedipe' (Oedipus complex).

In mathematics, French uses 'nombres complexes' to denote complex numbers, numbers of the form a + bi with i^2 = -1, where a and b are real numbers. These numbers extend the real line to the complex plane and are central to fields such as signal processing, quantum mechanics, and engineering. The term 'complexe' aligns with the English 'complex'.

In linguistics and French grammar, 'phrase complexe' refers to a complex sentence—one that contains at least one dependent clause in addition to the main clause.

Originating from Latin complexus via Old French, the term conveys the idea of things 'woven together'. Distinguishing French 'complexe' from the English 'complex' helps avoid mistranslation. See also complex (disambiguation) and related terms such as 'inferiority complex'.