plexus

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin plexus (“a twining, plaiting, braid”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈplɛk.səs/

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛksəs

Noun

plexus (plural plexuses or plexus or plexi)

1. (anatomy) A network of anastomosing or interwoven nerves, blood vessels, or lymphatic vessels.

   Hyponyms: brachial plexus, cardiac plexus, celiac plexus, choroid plexus, Exner's plexus, internal carotid plexus, pelvic plexus, solar plexus, venous plexus

   • 1934, Henry Miller, Tropic of Cancer, Grove Press, published 1961:

     I have the sensation of being immersed in the very plexus of life, focal from whatever place, position or attitude I take my stance.

2. An interwoven combination of parts or elements in a structure or system.
   1. (mathematics) The system of equations required for the complete expression of the relations which exist between a set of quantities.
      • 1866, Brande & C, A Dictionary of Science, Literature, & Art‎, page 935:

        Plexus (Lat.). The system of equations required for the complete expression of the relations which exist between a set of quantities.

References

• “plexus”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “plexus”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2025) “plexus”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Anagrams

• suplex

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

plexus m (plural plexussen)

1. plexus

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

plexus m (uncountable)

1. plexus

Further reading

• “plexus”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈpɫɛk.sʊs]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈplɛk.sus]

Etymology 1

Perfect passive participle of plectō (“to plait, braid, interweave”).

Participle

plexus (feminine plexa, neuter plexum); first/second-declension participle

1. perfect passive participle of plectō
2. (pre-Classical) involved, intricate, entangled, ambiguous

This entry needs quotations to illustrate usage. If you come across any interesting, durably archived quotes then please add them!

Inflection

First/second-declension adjective.

More information singular, plural ...

	singular				plural
	masculine	feminine	neuter		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	plexus	plexa	plexum		plexī	plexae	plexa
genitive	plexī	plexae	plexī		plexōrum	plexārum	plexōrum
dative	plexō	plexae	plexō		plexīs
accusative	plexum	plexam	plexum		plexōs	plexās	plexa
ablative	plexō	plexā	plexō		plexīs
vocative	plexe	plexa	plexum		plexī	plexae	plexa

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Etymology 2

From plectō (“to plait, braid, interweave”) +‎ -tus (action noun suffix).

Noun

plexus m (genitive plexūs); fourth declension

1. (poetic) a twining, plaiting, braid

This entry needs quotations to illustrate usage. If you come across any interesting, durably archived quotes then please add them!

Inflection

Fourth-declension noun.

More information singular, plural ...

	singular	plural
nominative	plexus	plexūs
genitive	plexūs	plexuum
dative	plexuī	plexibus
accusative	plexum	plexūs
ablative	plexū	plexibus
vocative	plexus	plexūs

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Descendants

Descendants

• → English: plexus
• → French: plexus
• → Spanish: plexo

References

• “plexus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• plexus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.