ENGLISH
REFERENCE

intricate

adj.
US //ˈɪntɹəkət// UK //ˈɪntɹɪkət// in·tri·cate
  1. 1 highly detailed (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    having many small, complicated parts or details that work together.

    characterized by a high degree of complexity and fine detail; often used to describe physical patterns or abstract systems.

    Example

    The watch has an intricate design with hundreds of tiny moving parts.

    Example

    The novelist spent years developing an intricate plot where every minor character eventually played a crucial role in the resolution.
  2. 2 difficult to resolve (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Archaic Literary

    very difficult to understand or solve because it is so complicated.

    difficult to disentangle, resolve, or interpret due to inherent obscurity or complexity.

    Example

    The legal case became so intricate that it took years to reach a final decision.

    Example

    The diplomat found himself caught in an intricate web of old rivalries and secret agreements that predated the current conflict.
Etymology 1

From Middle English intricat(e) (“entangled, intricate”), from Latin intrīcātus, perfect passive participle of intricō, see -ate (adjective-forming suffix).

Etymology 2

As for Etymology 1; from Latin intrīcātus, see -ate (verb-forming suffix).

Word family

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