Meanings
nounJocasta complex (plural Jocasta complexes)
plural Jocasta complexes
- human sciencesThe incestuous sexual desire of a mother towards her son.
Origin
Introduced by Raymond de Saussure in 1920, after the character Jocasta from Greek mythology.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
Jocasta complex. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Jocasta%20complex
MLA
“Jocasta complex.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Jocasta%20complex. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Jocasta complex,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Jocasta%20complex.
Source: Jocasta complex on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.