complexion

American  

[kuhm-plek-shuhn] / kəmˈplɛk ʃən /

Or complection

noun

1. the natural color, texture, and appearance of the skin, especially of the face.

   a clear, smooth, rosy complexion.

2. appearance; aspect; character.

   His confession put a different complexion on things.

3. viewpoint, attitude, or conviction.

   one's political complexion.

4. (in old physiology) constitution or nature of body and mind, regarded as the result of certain combined qualities.

5. Obsolete. nature; disposition; temperament.

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complexion British  

/ kəmˈplɛkʃən /

noun

1. the colour and general appearance of a person's skin, esp of the face

2. aspect, character, or nature

   the general complexion of a nation's finances

3. obsolete

   1. the temperament of a person

   2. the temperature and general appearance of the body

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Other Word Forms

• complexional
  adjective
• complexionally
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of complexion

1300–50; Middle English < Medieval Latin complexiōn- (stem of complexiō ) constitution, temperament, Latin: combination, group, literally, the act of embracing. See complex, -ion

Explanation

Complexion refers to the color of a person's skin, especially the face. If you have light skin, for example, you might be said to have a fair or pale complexion. The general character of something can also be called its complexion. If your team's star quarterback is out with an injury, it will change the complexion of the next game and possibly the entire season. Complexion originally referred to the humors that in ancient Greek and Roman medicine supposedly made up a person's temperament and health. The word came from the Latin complexionem, or "combination," but as humorism fell out of favor, this definition of complexion also became obsolete.

Example Sentences

"I definitely saw a difference in my skin complexion and felt like I needed to keep up with it, because if I stopped, I would revert back to my original skin complexion," he said.

From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026

Johnson, who was already in the traditional leader's chair after her aggressive run down the slope, said that she felt "heartache" at Vonn's crash, which completely changed the complexion of the race.

From Barron's • Feb. 8, 2026

Matches come so quickly that the entire complexion of the title race can change in a matter of days.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025

“Again, this has not happened yet, but it’s a scenario we need to stay alert to, as a confirmed breakdown would clearly shift the market’s complexion in a meaningful way,” Cappelleri wrote.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 19, 2025

In spite of having the sunless complexion and slight build of a yeshiva student, Sender clung onto the cord as tenaciously as a terrier, even going so far as to bare his teeth.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Related Words

• character
• nature