Other forms: complexions
Somebody's complexion is the natural colour and condition of the skin of their face. A fair complexion, a clear complexion, ruddy complexion.
It is a description of the face rather than of ethnicity, and words like fair, dark and sallow belong to it. Figuratively, the complexion of a situation is its overall character: that puts a different complexion on it — meaning it changes how the whole thing looks. Note that complexion originally meant temperament, from the medieval theory of the four humours, and the skin was thought to show which one you had.
1nouncomplexionThe natural colour and condition of facial skin.
“She has a pale complexion and burns easily in the sun.”
2nounoverallThe overall character of a situation.
“The new evidence puts a completely different complexion on the case.”
complexion is an appearance or character.
Latin complexio meant a combination, and medieval medicine used it for the mix of humours in a person. The face was read as evidence of that mix, so complexion moved from temperament to skin.
Proto-Indo-European
*pleḱ-
Medieval Latin
complexiō — complexion, constitution
Old French
complexion
Middle English
complexion — temperament
English, today
complexion
Built from
From Middle English complexion (“temperament”), from Old French complexion (French complexion), from Medieval Latin complexiō (“complexion, constitution”), from complector, past participle complexus (“to entwine, encompass”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA
Practised in Body & Health, Beauty & Cosmetics