complication

Forms

complication f (plural complications)^[1] Middle French complicacion.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin complicātiō (“a folding, rolling up”),^[2][3][1] from the supine of complicō (“to fold together”),^[3][4] formed from com- and plicō (“to fold”).^[5][6] In Late Latin it also meant “confusion” and, in mathematics, “multiplication”.^[2][4] It belongs with compliquer.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Oresme uses complicacion in the Livre du Ciel et du Monde (1370–1382) for a combination or gathering of different things.^[2][7]

Semantic evolution

Until the 18th century it was used mostly in medicine, of a complex set of symptoms or diseases;^[2][7][5] Ambroise Paré speaks of the “complications” of a disease in the 16th century.^[2][7][5] The general sense, the quality of what is complicated, is first found in Condorcet in 1794.^[2][7] From it came the countable use, une complication, des complications, for a difficulty or an embarrassment, and in pathology a secondary worsening of an illness.^[7][6]

Timeline

• 1370–1382 – Oresme writes complicacion “gathering of different things”.^[2]
• 16th century – Ambroise Paré uses it in medicine.^[5]
• 1794 – Condorcet uses it for the quality of what is complicated.^[2][7]

Meanings

Noun

1. The quality of being complicated; complexity: la complication d'une horloge.^[6][8][2]
2. A set of circumstances that causes difficulties or makes them worse; a snag: éviter les complications.^[6][9][8]
3. (medicine) A new condition that arises during an illness and makes it worse.^[7][5][8]

Related words

• compliquer
• compliqué
• Latin complicō

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b c d e Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)