Meanings
- historicalnot comparableanatomyOf an eye: (supposedly) having pigment on only the posterior surface of the iris and not the anterior surface, and thus appearing blue; this was later found to be inaccurate, as eye colour is due to the amount of pigment in the anterior surface of the iris; also, of eye pigmentation: present only on the posterior surface of the iris; and of a person: having eyes with this form of pigmentation.
Antonyms: duplex
- archaicnot comparableobsoletebiologySynonym of heterozygous (“of an organism: having two different alleles in a given gene”).
Synonyms: heterozygous
- not comparablehuman sciencesOf a word: having no (derivational) affixes; simple, monomorphemic, uncompounded.
Antonyms: polymorphemic
plural simplexes · plural simplices · plural simplicia
- algebraic topologyA generalization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension; more accurately, the convex hull of n+1 affinely independent points in n-dimensional space.
- human sciencesA word which is not compound and contains no derivational affixes (inflectional affixes are usually disregarded); a monomorphemic word.
The word weak is a simplex. Its derivative weaken is not.
- archaicgrammarIn full simplex sentence: in transformational grammar: a simple sentence which is the product of a few transformations; a kernel sentence.
The question is: is 139. [“Priexal Vanja. ‘arrived Vanya’”] a simplex or is it a cleft structure in which all 'superfluous' constituents were deleted. […] The only indication that 139. is a simplex is the sentence intonation and the absence of a break between the verb and the subject.
1978, Helga Harries-Delisle, “Contrastive Emphasis and Cleft Sentences”, in Joseph H[arold] Greenberg, editor, Universals of Human Language, volume 4 (Syntax), Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, →ISBN, page 460
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveHaving a single structure; not composite or complex; undivided, unitary.
adjectiveOf an eye: (supposedly) having pigment on only the posterior surface of the iris and not the anterior surface, and thus appearing blue; this was later found to be inaccurate, as eye colour is due to the amount of pigment in the anterior surface of the iris; also, of eye pigmentation: present only on the posterior surface of the iris; and of a person: having eyes with this form of pigmentation.
adjectiveOf a circuit or device: involving signals which travel in one direction at a time; unidirectional.
adjectiveSynonym of heterozygous (“of an organism: having two different alleles in a given gene”).
adjectiveOf a word: having no (derivational) affixes; simple, monomorphemic, uncompounded.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectiveallowing communication in only one direction at a time, or in telegraphy allowing only one message over a line at a time
adjectivehaving only one part or element
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinsimplicēs
- Proto-Indo-European*sem-
- Latinsimplex“plain, simple; single”
- Englishsimplex
The adjective is a learned borrowing from Latin simplex (“plain, simple; single”). The first part, sim-, comes from Proto-Indo-European *sem-, *sm̥- (“one; together”). The second part, -plex, may be from *pleḱ- (“to weave”). The noun is derived from the adjective. The plural forms simplices and simplicia are learned borrowings from Latin simplicēs (masculine or feminine) and simplicia (neuter), respectively plural forms of simplex. Noun sense 1 (“generalization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension”) was apparently coined by the Dutch mathematician Pieter Hendrik Schoute (1846–1913) as a short version of Simplicissimum in Mehrdimensionale Geometrie (in German, 1902). (In his pioneering works on algebraic topology, the French mathematician Henri Poincaré (1854–1912) had previously introduced the concept, but not the actual term simplex.)
More words from Latin, Proto-Indo-European
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic مُبَسَّط
- مُبَسَّط (mubassaṭ)generalization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Basque simplex
- simplexgeneralization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Bengali ক্রমবর্তী সিমপ্লেক্স
- ক্রমবর্তী সিমপ্লেক্স (kromborti śimoplekśo)generalization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Bulgarian симплекс, прост
- симплекс (simpleks)of a circuit or device: involving signals which travel in one direction at a time — see also unidirectional
- прост (prost)of a word: having no affixes
- едноетажен (ednoetažen)of a property: having only one floor or storey
- си́мплекс (símpleks)generalization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
- едноета́жна сгра́да (ednoetážna sgráda)property having only one floor or storey
Catalan símplex, símplex
- símplexof a circuit or device: involving signals which travel in one direction at a time — see also unidirectional
- símplexgeneralization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Chinese Mandarin 單工 /单工, 單純形 /单纯形
- 單工 /单工 (dāngōng)of a circuit or device: involving signals which travel in one direction at a time — see also unidirectional
- 單純形 /单纯形 (dānchúnxíng)generalization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Dutch simplex
- simplexgeneralization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Finnish yksisuuntainen, simpleksinen
- yksisuuntainenof a circuit or device: involving signals which travel in one direction at a time — see also unidirectional
- simpleksinenof a polyploid organism: having one dominant allele at a given locus on all homologous chromosomes
- simpleksinenof a word: having no affixes
- johtamatonof a word: having no affixes
- yksikerroksinenof a property: having only one floor or storey
- simpleksigeneralization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
- perussanaword which is not compound and contains no derivational affixes
- simpleksinen virkein transformational grammar: a simple sentence which is the product of a few transformations
- yksikerroksinen kiinteistöproperty having only one floor or storey
French simplexe
- simplexegeneralization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
German Simplex, Simplex
- Simplexgeneralization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
- Simplexword which is not compound and contains no derivational affixes
Greek μονόδρομος
- μονόδρομος (monódromos)of a circuit or device: involving signals which travel in one direction at a time — see also unidirectional
Hebrew סימפלקס
- סימפלקסgeneralization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Hungarian szimplex
- szimplexgeneralization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Icelandic hyrna
- hyrnageneralization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Indonesian simplêks
- simplêksof a circuit or device: involving signals which travel in one direction at a time — see also unidirectional
Irish aonphléacs
- aonphléacsgeneralization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Italian simplesso
- simplessogeneralization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Japanese 単体
- 単体 (tantai)generalization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Korean 단체
- 단체 (danche)generalization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Norwegian Bokmål simpleks
- simpleksgeneralization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Persian سادک
- سادکgeneralization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Polish sympleks
- sympleksgeneralization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Portuguese simplex, simplexo
- simplexgeneralization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
- simplexogeneralization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Romanian simplex
- simplexgeneralization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Russian си́мплекс
- си́мплекс (símpleks)generalization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Slovak simplex
- simplexgeneralization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Spanish símplex
- símplexgeneralization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Swedish simplex, simplex
- simplexgeneralization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
- simplexword which is not compound and contains no derivational affixes
Thai ซิมเพล็กซ์
- ซิมเพล็กซ์generalization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Ukrainian си́мплекс
- си́мплекс (sýmpleks)generalization of a triangle or tetrahedron to an arbitrary dimension, the generalization being the simplest possible convex polytope for a given dimension
Vietnamese đơn công
- đơn côngof a circuit or device: involving signals which travel in one direction at a time — see also unidirectional
Cite this entry
simplex. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/simplex
“simplex.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/simplex. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “simplex,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/simplex.
Source: simplex on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.