complexion English · revision 940

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kəmˈplɛkʃən/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|complexioun|t=bodily constitution]], [[bor|fro|complexion|t=combination of humours]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|la-lat|complexiō|t=physical constitution, balance of the humours]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) from Latin ''complexiō'' “combination”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from ''complectī'' “to embrace, encompass”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from ''com-'' and ''plectere'' “to weave, plait”.^(Etymonline) It is related to [[complex]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Bodily habit or constitution (1340),^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) in medieval physiology made up of the four qualities hot, cold, moist and dry, or of the four humours.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In medieval medicine the colour of the face was thought to show the balance of humours, and so the person's temperament and health.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995) From this the word came to mean the natural colour and appearance of the skin of the face (before 1450 in Barnhart; 1568 in the OED).^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) It also meant temperament or disposition (c. 1386), now obsolete,^(OED 1989) and survives in the figurative sense of the general character or aspect of something, as in ''put a different complexion on things''.^(AHD)^(RHWU)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1340 – bodily constitution.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * c. 1386 – the combination of the four qualities; temperament.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1450 – the colour of the face (Barnhart).^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1568 – the colour and texture of the skin (OED).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The natural colour, texture and appearance of the skin, especially of the face.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # General character, aspect or appearance, as in ''changed the complexion of the debate''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Viewpoint or attitude, as in ''political complexion''.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(historical)'' The combination of the four [[humor|alt=humours]] or qualities thought in medieval physiology to determine a person's constitution and temperament.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[complexioned]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[complect]]

+ * [[complex]]

+ * [[perplex]]

+ * [[plait]]

+ * [[temperament]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}