COMPLEXION

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does complexion mean? 

• COMPLEXION (noun)
  The noun COMPLEXION has 5 senses:

1. the coloring of a person's face

2. a combination that results from coupling or interlinking

3. a point of view or general attitude or inclination

4. texture and appearance of the skin of the face

5. (obsolete) a combination of elements (of dryness and warmth or of the four humors) that was once believed to determine a person's health and temperament

  Familiarity information: COMPLEXION used as a noun is common.

• COMPLEXION (verb)
  The verb COMPLEXION has 1 sense:

1. give a certain color to

  Familiarity information: COMPLEXION used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• COMPLEXION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The coloring of a person's face

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

complexion; skin color; skin colour

Hypernyms ("complexion" is a kind of...):

color; coloring; colour; colouring (a visual attribute of things that results from the light they emit or transmit or reflect)

Attribute:

blond; blonde; light-haired (being or having light colored skin and hair and usually blue or grey eyes)

brunet; brunette (marked by dark or relatively dark pigmentation of hair or skin or eyes)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "complexion"):

blondness; fairness; paleness (the property of having a naturally light complexion)

rosiness; ruddiness (a healthy reddish complexion)

achromasia; lividity; lividness; luridness; paleness; pallidness; pallor; wanness (unnatural lack of color in the skin (as from bruising or sickness or emotional distress))

sallowness (a sickly yellowish skin color)

tawniness (the quality or state of being the color of tanned leather)

darkness; duskiness; swarthiness (a swarthy complexion)

whiteness (lightness or fairness of complexion)

Derivation:

complexion (give a certain color to)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A combination that results from coupling or interlinking

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Context example:

diphthongs are complexions of vowels

Hypernyms ("complexion" is a kind of...):

combination (a collection of things that have been combined; an assemblage of separate parts or qualities)

Derivation:

complect (be interwoven or interconnected)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A point of view or general attitude or inclination

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Context example:

a liberal political complexion

Hypernyms ("complexion" is a kind of...):

point of view; stand; standpoint; viewpoint (a mental position from which things are viewed)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Texture and appearance of the skin of the face

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("complexion" is a kind of...):

appearance; visual aspect (outward or visible aspect of a person or thing)

Derivation:

complexion (give a certain color to)

Sense 5

Meaning:

(obsolete) a combination of elements (of dryness and warmth or of the four humors) that was once believed to determine a person's health and temperament

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("complexion" is a kind of...):

nature (the complex of emotional and intellectual attributes that determine a person's characteristic actions and reactions)

Domain usage:

archaicism; archaism (the use of an archaic expression)

• COMPLEXION (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Give a certain color to

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

The setting sun complexioned the hills

Hypernyms (to "complexion" is one way to...):

tinct; tinge; tint; touch (color lightly)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

complexion (texture and appearance of the skin of the face)

complexion (the coloring of a person's face)

 Context examples 

“Well,” said Emma, “there is no disputing about taste. At least you admire her except her complexion.”

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

There was no recovering the complexion from the moment that I spoke of 'Fanny,' and spoke of her as a sister should.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

She was a striking-looking woman, a little short and thick for symmetry, but with a beautiful olive complexion, large, dark, Italian eyes, and a wealth of deep black hair.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

In the country, I presume, from your complexion.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I hate a florid complexion and dark eyes in a man.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

We might have been a party of Ogres, the conversation assumed such a sanguine complexion.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

These words put a different complexion on affairs.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

While she spoke, an involuntary glance showed her Darcy, with a heightened complexion, earnestly looking at her, and his sister overcome with confusion, and unable to lift up her eyes.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

I had admired the perfect forms of my cottagers—their grace, beauty, and delicate complexions; but how was I terrified when I viewed myself in a transparent pool!

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

His complexion was white with agitation, and he looked as if fearful of his reception, and conscious that he merited no kind one.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)