intricate means having a great deal of fine detail or complexity. It carries an Arena rating of 1535, earned across 3 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, intricate ranks #2,308 of 14,431 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound, #3,609 of 14,361 for Most Ingenious Words, #6,149 of 14,308 for Most Malleable Words, #6,516 of 14,322 for Scariest Words.
intricate is pronounced /ˈɪn.tɹɪ.kət/.
Why “intricate” is a great word
Having many complexly interrelating parts or elements, making something detailed and complicated. From Middle English intricat(e), from Latin intrīcātus, perfect passive participle of intrīcō ("to entangle, perplex"), from in- ("in") + trīcae ("trifles, perplexities"). Unlike "complicated," which often implies a burdensome or unwelcome difficulty, or "extricate," the act of freeing from entanglement, "intricate" suggests a deliberate, artful convolution. It is the gearwork of a pocket watch, each pinion meshing with absolute precision; it is the lacework of frost on a winter window, spreading in dendritic filigree; it is the nested layers of a hand-carved ivory sphere—a testament to the fact that the deepest order often resembles a beautiful, purposeful knot, where the pleasure lies not in escape, but in surrender to its winding design.
Etymology
From Middle English intricat(e) (“entangled, intricate”), from Latin intrīcātus, perfect passive participle of intricō, see -ate (adjective-forming suffix).
adj
- Having a great deal of fine detail or complexity.“The architecture of this clock is very intricate.”
- Difficult to disentangle, puzzle apart, or resolve; enigmatic, obscure.“The Ways of Heav’n are dark and intricate,
Puzzled in Mazes, and perplext with Errors;
Our Underſtanding traces ’em in vain,
Loſt and bewilder’d in the fruitleſs Search;
Nor ſees with how much Art the Windings run,
Nor where the regular Confuſion ends.”
verb
- To become enmeshed or entangled.“[…] washes off easily, without sticking or intricating into the wound.”
- To enmesh or entangle: to cause to intricate.“But the British and French won't hear of that; they want to get their troops extricated and our ground troops intricated.”
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- implex 88% match — Intricate, involved, entangled, complicated, complex. vs intricate →
- extricate 88% match — To free, disengage, loosen, or untangle. vs intricate →
- abstruse 87% match — Difficult to comprehend or understand; obscure. vs intricate →
- entangle 86% match — To tangle up; to twist or interweave in such a manner as not to be easily separated. vs intricate →
- subtle 86% match — Senses relating to tangible things.; Of an action or movement: very delicate or slight, and thus barely noticeable; not obvious; inconspicuous, unintrusive. vs intricate →
- intrigue 86% match — A complicated or clandestine plot or scheme intended to affect some purpose by secret artifice; conspiracy; stratagem. vs intricate →
- entwinement 85% match — A situation of being entwined; an entanglement. vs intricate →
- exquisite 85% match — Especially or extraordinarily fine or pleasing; exceptional. vs intricate →