labyrinthine

[ lab-uh-rin-thin, -theen ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling a labyrinth.
2. complicated; tortuous:

   the labyrinthine byways of modern literature.

labyrinthine

/ ˌlæbəˈrɪnθaɪn; ˌlæbəˈrɪnθɪk; ˌlæbəˈrɪnθɪən /

adjective

1. of or relating to a labyrinth
2. resembling a labyrinth in complexity

Derived Forms

• ˌlabyˈrinthically, adverb

Other Words From

• laby·rinthi·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of labyrinthine¹

First recorded in 1740–50; labyrinth + -ine ¹

Example Sentences

It became a key part of the downtown L.A. renaissance, the labyrinthine aisles crowded with people flocking to its book tunnel and cutout book hole, which quickly became Instagram-famous.

From Los Angeles Times

Qassem says it’s intended to conjure up the feel of the ancient, labyrinthine alleyways of the Old City of Jerusalem.

From BBC

Isolated on an island off the English coast where the author had lived in a labyrinthine mansion, the teens must work together while competing separately for a life-changing amount of money.

From Los Angeles Times

Although chicanery happens on a local level, Jackson observed that the unwieldy and labyrinthine nature of America's electoral system serves as a built-in protection against outright election theft.

From Salon

As the US heads into a presidential election, Gabriel Gatehouse dives back into the labyrinthine rabbit warren of American conspiracy culture.

From BBC

Related Words

• convoluted
• intricate
• meandering
• serpentine
• tangled
• tortuous
• twisting
• winding