Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

1. complexus, a, um, Part., from complector.

2. complexus (con-), ūs, m. [complector], a surrounding, encompassing, encircling, embracing, embrace, etc. (class. in prose and poetry).

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. Prop.
      1. 1. Of things (rare): aether Omnia avido complexu cetera saepsit, Lucr. 5, 471; so id. 2, 1066: qui (mundus) omnia complexu suo coërcet et continet, Cic. N. D. 2, 22, 58; 2, 40, 101: lapides alligati complexu silicis, by a binding, Plin. 36, 22, 45, § 161.
      2. 2. Of persons: secutae conlocutiones cum Trebonio complexusque, Cic. Phil. 11, 2, 5: corporum, id. Tusc. 3, 20, 46: e complexu parentum abreptos filios ad necem ducere, id. Verr. 2, 1, 3, § 7: ubi complexu coierunt membra tenaci, in a mutual close embrace, Ov. M. 4, 377: complexu matris avellere natam, Cat. 62, 21; cf. id. 64, 88; 64, 118; Cic. Font. 17, 36; id. Fl. 38, 95; Liv. 2, 40, 5; Quint. 6, 1, 42; 8, 3, 68: Venerio, in copulation, Cic. Div. 2, 69, 143.
        In plur., * Hor. S, 1, 5, 43; Verg. A. 5, 742; Ov. M. 3, 286; 10, 388; 6, 249.
        Rarely (like complector itself), of hostile embrace, close combat: in Martis complexu cadere, Quint. Decl. 4, 22: armorum, Tac. Agr. 36; cf. of a serpent: longis amplexibus illos necat, Ov. M. 3, 48: luctari complexu, Plin. 9, 30, 48, § 91.
    2. B. Transf., as a measure, the reach: (cedrus) crassitudinis ad trium hominum conplexum, Plin. 16, 40, 76, § 203.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. A connection in discourse (very freq. in Quint.): vitium non est in sensu, sed in complexu, Quint. 1, 5, 46; cf. id. 9, 4, 32: brevis verborum, id. 7, 3, 18: sermonis, id. 9, 3, 18: in complexu loquendi serieque, id. 1, 5, 3: legum aliorumque scriptorum, id. 5, 10, 107: causarum, id. 5, 10, 103; 7, 2, 57: rerum, personarum, temporum, id. 3, 5, 7 et saep.
    2. B. A friendly embracing, love, affectionate relation, etc.: venisti in sinum et complexum tuae mimulae, Cic. Phil. 2, 25, 61; cf.: res publica Pompeii filium suo sinu complexuque recipiet, id. ib. 13, 4, 9; id. Pis. 9, 19: totius gentis humanae, id. Fin. 5, 23, 65; id. Cat. 2, 10, 22: at tu easdem artes in complexu, oculis, auribus habes, Plin. Pan. 47, 2.