complex sentence

plural complex sentences

1. grammarA sentence that contains an independent clause as well as one or more dependent clauses, such as a relative clause, an adverbial clause, or a noun clause.
2. human sciencesA sentence that contains multiple clauses, whether independent (coordinated) or dependent (subordinated); compound or complex sentence.

   Complex sentences are traditionally divided into two basic types: (i) sentences including co-ordinate clauses, and (ii) sentences including subordinate clauses.

   2004, Holger Diessel, The Acquisition of Complex Sentences, page 42

   2 more examples

   Sentences are either simple or complex. […] A complex sentence consists of two or more members, as, “Alexander, when he had conquered the world, is said to have wept, because there were not other worlds to subdue.” […] When a member of a complex sentence is simple, it is called indifferently a member, or a clause; as, “I have called; but ye have refused.”

   1830, Alexander Crombie, Etymology and Syntax of the English Language, page 226

   A sentence consisting of more than one clause is said to be complex. […] There are many ways of combining clauses to form a complex sentence. Coordinate constructions represent the special case of symmetry, parallelism, and coequality among the component clauses. More typically, these properties are lacking by virtue of one clause being subordinated to another.

   2008, Ronald W. Langacker, Cognitive Grammar: A Basic Introduction, pages 406, 412

   Synonyms: composite sentence