3 syllables: com, plex, ion. Stress on plex.
/kəmˈplɛkʃən/
complexion is pronounced /kəmˈplɛkʃən/. It has three syllables (com-plex-ion), with the stress on "plex". Complexion refers to the natural color, texture, and appearance of a person’s skin, especially the face, often influenced by undertone and health. It can also describe the overall surface quality or outward appearance of something, such as the complexion of a situation. The term encompasses tone, clarity, and evenness, and is commonly used in human biology, dermatology, and aesthetics.
Say it backComplexion refers to the natural color, texture, and appearance of a person’s skin, especially the face, often influenced by undertone and health. It can also describe the overall surface quality or outward appearance of something, such as the complexion of a situation. The term encompasses tone, clarity, and evenness, and is commonly used in human biology, dermatology, and aesthetics.
- Misplacing stress on the first syllable or spreading it across the word (e.g., /ˈkɒm-plek-ʃən/ or /ˌkɒm-ˈplek.ʃən/). Fix: keep stress on the second syllable: /kəm-ˈplek.ʃən/. - Slurring the /pl/ cluster into a simple /p/ or /bl/; ensure you articulate /pl/ as a distinct sound sequence /p/ + /l/ before /e/. - Final /ʃən/ mispronounced as /ʃn/ or /ən/; practice ending with a clear /ʃən/ rather than swallowing the /ə/ quickly.
"Her complexion looked radiant after a week of good sleep and hydration."
"The detective described the complexion of the scene, noting the soft lighting and calm mood."
"In drama, the actress wore makeup that complemented her complexion and brought out her features."
Pronounced kəm-ˈplek-shən, with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US /kəm-ˈplek.ʃən/ or /ˌkɒm-ˈplek.ʃən/; UK /kəm-ˈplek.ʃən/; AU /kəm-ˈplek.ʃən/. Start with a light schwa for the first syllable, then a strong, sharp /plek/ in the second syllable, and finish with /ʃən/.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (saying /ˈkɒm-plek-shən/ or /ˈkjem-plek-shən/), and slurring the /pl/ into a single consonant or mispronouncing the final /ʃən/ as /ən/. To correct: keep the primary stress on the second syllable, articulate /pl/ clearly as /pl/ then glide into /ʃən/ without adding extra vowel between /ʃ/ and /ən/.
In US English, you’ll hear a clear /kəm-ˈplek.ʃən/ with reduced first vowel and strong /plek/. UK often retains crisp /ˈplek/ but can reduce the first syllable a touch; rhotacization is minimal. Australian tends to a slightly longer vowel in the first syllable and a more clipped final /ən/. All share /k/ at onset of second syllable and /ʃən/ at the end, with stress on the second syllable.
The difficulty lies in the tricky rime /-plek.ʃən/ with the cluster /pl/ just before /eɪ/ or /e/ in some words; here it’s /plek/ followed by the /ʃ/ onset of the final syllable. The initial unstressed /kəm-/ requires a quick, light schwa, then a strong /plek/; ending with /ʃən/ can trip learners who expect a clearer /ən/ or mispronounce the cluster. Training the exact mouth positions helps.
A unique aspect is the strong /plek/ onset in the second syllable after a weak initial /kə-/; you must produce a crisp /plek/ before the /ʃən/ ending. This makes the word rhythmically a trochaic-tapl pattern: kə-MPLEK-shən. Pay attention to the vowel quality of the first syllable (often a reduced /ə/), and avoid turning /plek/ into /pleks/ or /plek-t/.
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- US: emphasize rhotic neutral /r/ absence in complexion; focus on the American VCV rhythm: schwa-PLek-shən; stable /ɪ/ or /i/ in adjacent sounds. - UK: slightly crisper /kəm-ˈplek.ʃən/ with shorter /ə/ and a slightly tighter /ə/ before /m/. - AU: warmer vowel qualities; more open /ə/ and a more relaxed /ə/ in the first syllable; keep the /ʃən/ crisp. IPA references help you verify differences.
Complexion comes from Middle English complexion, from Old French complexion, from Latin complexio, from com- ‘with, together’ + ligare ‘to bind, tie’ or from Latin complexus ‘embrace, entanglement’ (from the verb complecti ‘to clasp, embrace’). Historically, the word referred to the act of shaping or entwining, later shifting to describe surface appearance or color. In English, the sense of outward appearance—especially skin tone—emerged in the early modern period, with medical and cosmetic usage increasing in the 16th–18th centuries as anatomy and dermatology grew. By the 19th and 20th centuries, complexion was firmly entrenched in everyday English to refer to skin color and complexion health, while also appearing in figurative uses like the “complexion of a matter.” The word’s semantic arc tracks from physical binding and shaping to surface presentation, culminating in its contemporary sense of skin tone and facial appearance. The late-Latin root complexus indicates intertwined or braided structure, which metaphorically extended to surface attributes, cementing complexion as a description of outer characteristics rather than inner essence.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "complexion" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "complexion" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "complexion"
-ion sounds
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