complejo

Complejo is a term used in Spanish with several related meanings across fields. In everyday language it describes something intricate or composed of interconnected parts. In specialized contexts it denotes a group of buildings forming a single development or a psychological pattern. The word has cognates in other Romance languages and is used in mathematics to refer to complex numbers as well.

In mathematics, a número complejo or simply complejo is a number of the form a + bi, where a and b are real numbers and i is the imaginary unit with i^2 = -1. The real part is a, and the imaginary part is b. Complex numbers can be added and multiplied, and every nonzero complex number has a multiplicative inverse. They can be represented as points in the complex plane, with magnitude and argument, and in polar form using r(cos θ + i sin θ).

In architecture and urban planning, a complejo refers to a group of buildings designed as a single entity, such as a residential complex, a shopping complex, or an industrial complex. Such developments often share facilities and infrastructure, and are planned to function together as a unit.

In psychology and everyday usage, a complejo is an organized pattern of emotions, memories, and perceptions tied to a particular theme, influencing behavior. The term is familiar in English through phrases like inferiority complex or Oedipus complex. In everyday language, complejo also describes something elaborate or multi-component.