complex number

noun

1. a mathematical expression (a +bi ) in which a and b are real numbers and i 2 = −1.

complex number

noun

1. any number of the form a + i b , where a and b are real numbers and i = √–1 See number

complex number

1. A number that can be expressed in terms of i (the square root of −1). Mathematically, such a number can be written a + bi, where a and b are real numbers. An example is 4 + 5 i.

Word History and Origins

Origin of complex number¹

First recorded in 1825–35