complication

[ kom-pli-key-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of complicating.
2. a complicated complicated or involved state or condition.
3. a complex combination of elements or things.
4. something that introduces, usually unexpectedly, some difficulty, problem, change, etc.:

   Because of the complications involved in traveling during the strike, we decided to postpone our trip.

   Synonyms: obstacle, handicap, drawback

5. Pathology. a concurrent disease, accident, or adverse reaction that aggravates the original disease.
6. the act of forming a unified idea or impression from a number of sense data, memories, etc.

complication

/ ˌkɒmplɪˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. a condition, event, etc, that is complex or confused
2. the act or process of complicating
3. a situation, event, or condition that complicates or frustrates

   her coming was a serious complication

4. a disease or disorder arising as a consequence of another disease

Other Words From

• compli·cative adjective
• precom·pli·cation noun
• recom·pli·cation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of complication¹

1605–15; < Late Latin complicātīon- (stem of complicātiō ), equivalent to complicāt ( us ) ( complicate ) + -īon- -ion

Example Sentences

Nicknamed "the grand complication", it is believed to be the most valuable watch in the world, and represents something of a holy grail for horologists.

From BBC

The genetic condition can cause serious medical complications such as spinal cord compression, sleep apnoea, bowed legs, narrowing of the spinal canal and recurrent ear infections.

From Science Daily

His stepdaughter Tracie Holder confirmed the death, from complications of pneumonia.

From New York Times

Stories of women who received life-saving abortion care colored politicians' appeals to Americans as the number of reports of women whose preventable deaths from pregnancy and miscarriage complications in states with abortion bans grew.

From Salon

His lawyers say new evidence shows the child died of complications from pneumonia.

From BBC

Related Words

• complexity
• confusion
• difficulty
• obstacle
• problem
• snag