An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

1. General: (n. & adj.) A whole comprised of many elements. → complex wave.
   
2. (adj.) Complicated and hard to solve.
   
3. Math: Pertaining to or using → complex numbers.

Etymology (EN): From Fr. complexe, from L. complexus “surrounding, encompassing,” p.p. of complecti “to embrace, encompass, include,” from → com- “together” + plectere “to weave, twine.”

Etymology (PE): Hamtâft, from ham- “together,” → com- + tâft past stem of tâftan, tâbidan “to twist, to spin, to bend, to crook,” p.p. tâftah “spun, silk or linen cloth,” loaned into E. taffeta (from O.Fr. taffetas, from It. taffeta); similarly Gk. tapetion “little carpet” is probably from this Iranian origin (from which tapestry, tapis); Proto-Ir. *tap- “to spin,” related to tan-, tanidan “to spin; to stretch,” → tension.