intricate
Americanadjective
-
having many interrelated parts or facets; entangled or involved.
an intricate maze.
- Synonyms:
- labyrinthine, tangled, knotty
-
complex; complicated; hard to understand, work, or make.
an intricate machine.
adjective
-
difficult to understand; obscure; complex; puzzling
-
entangled or involved
intricate patterns
Other Word Forms
- intricacy noun
- intricately adverb
- intricateness noun
- unintricate adjective
- unintricately adverb
- unintricateness noun
Etymology
Origin of intricate
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin intrīcātus “entangled,” past participle of intrīcāre “to entangle,” from in- in- 2 + trīc(ae) “perplexities” + -āre, infinitive verb suffix
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Thirty years ago, a game named Resident Evil ushered in the survival horror genre - a blend of nerve-shredding tension, elaborate puzzles, and intricate inventory management.
From BBC
This intricate architecture ensures that genetic information is prepared and positioned for activation exactly when needed.
From Science Daily
Even its piercing eyes are crafted from vehicle bearings, completing a sculpture that is both intricate and awesome.
From Barron's
One of the most fascinating things inside chip fabrication plants, or fabs, is the intricate overhead transportation system that carries wafers from machine to machine.
Using her beak, C.C. pried open a long thin door in the belly of the clock, thus revealing an intricate display of rusted gears and springs and chains and doodads creaking away.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
