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per·plexed

(pər-plĕkst)

adj.

1. Filled with confusion or bewilderment; puzzled.

2. Full of complications or difficulty; involved.

[Middle English, from perplex, confused, from Old French perplexe, from Latin perplexus : per-, per- + plexus, past participle of plectere, to entwine; see plek- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

per·plexed·ly (-plĕksĭd-lē) adv.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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