Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of intricacy
First recorded in 1595–1605; intric(ate) + -acy
Explanation
The noun intricacy means a quality of being complex or elaborately detailed. You could compliment the intricacy of your friend's complicated hairdo. A delicate piece of jewelry, twisted with decorative strands of silver, can be admired for its intricacy, and an overly complex piece of legislation might be criticized for its intricacy. You could also talk about the intricacy of the universe, or the intricacy of the human body. Intricacy comes from the Latin root word intricatus, which means "entangled."
Vocabulary lists containing intricacy
Power Suffix: -acy
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The hand-spun yarn dyed in natural colours is woven on handlooms, packing in between 300 and several thousand knots per square inch, depending on the intricacy of the design.
From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026
The intricacy with which Whitehead details the planning and execution of this caper marks him as a top-tier researcher — he’s drawn on many primary sources to ground this work of fiction in historical fact.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
Julianne Moore, on the other hand, brings a less polished intricacy to her roles.
From Salon ● May 10, 2026
Working in concert, the two must untangle a crime of ingenious intricacy relying on their instincts, their logic, and a dogged pursuit of the facts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2025
They see the nuance of the costumes, the intricacy of the signs.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
“There’s a cognitive dissonance between the intricacies of these deals and the actual amount of water that is in storage,” said Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
“Because of this, platonic marriages can often end amicably. The couple may be able to communicate effectively about the intricacies of their case without the emotional pain that often comes with divorce.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
He already understands the intricacies of the position.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026
In fact, it’s got more pop DNA than many of its contemporaries — just don’t expect the intricacies to come from Mother Mary’s music or her mythology.
From Salon ● Apr. 24, 2026
Getting to the bottom of the question of how good Kenna really is requires a more searching exploration of the intricacies of our snap judgments.
From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
