complected

complected
adjective Etymology: irregular from complexion Date: 1785 having a specified facial complexion <
a tall, thin man, fairly dark complected — E. J. Kahn
> Usage: Not an error, nor a dialectal term, nor nonstandard—all of which it has been labeled—complected still manages to raise hackles. It is an Americanism, apparently nonexistent in British English. Its currency in American English is attested as early as 1806 (by Meriwether Lewis) and it appears in the works of such notable American writers as Mark Twain, O. Henry, James Whitcomb Riley, and William Faulkner. Complexioned, recommended by handbooks, has less use than complected. Literary use, old and new, slightly favors complected.

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Complected — Com*plect ed, a. Complexioned. [Low, New Eng.] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • complected — 1806, Amer.Eng., complexioned, a variant derivation from COMPLEXION (Cf. complexion), which, intentionally or not, shows the Latin root …   Etymology dictionary

  • complected — ☆ complected [kəm plek′tid ] adj. [altered < COMPLEXIONED] COMPLEXIONED …   English World dictionary

  • complected — /keuhm plek tid/, adj. Informal. complexioned: a light complected boy. [1800 10, Amer.; complect (back formation from COMPLEXION, presumably taken as *complection) + ED3] Usage. COMPLECTED, a back formation from COMPLEXION, is an Americanism… …   Universalium

  • complected — com•plect•ed [[t]kəmˈplɛk tɪd[/t]] adj. use complexioned: a light complected child[/ex] • Etymology: 1800–10, amer.; complect , back formation from complexion, presumably taken as *complection+ ed III usage: Although criticized by some as a… …   From formal English to slang

  • complected — com|plect|ed [kəmˈplektıd] adj AmE light/fair/dark complected having light or dark skin …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • complected — com|plect|ed [ kəm plektəd ] adjective AMERICAN someone who is dark or fair complected has dark or fair skin. Some people think this word should not be used and COMPLEXIONED should be used instead …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • complected — adjective fair /dark complected AmE having fair or dark skin …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • complected — kəm|plektə̇d adjective Etymology: complect (irregular from complexion) + ed : complexioned usually used in combination dark complected not often in formal use …   Useful english dictionary

  • complected — adjective (in combination) Having a specified complexion; complexioned …   Wiktionary

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