labyrinth
/'læbərinθ/
Definition
- Noun:
- A complex structure of interconnected passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one's way; a maze: A physical construction designed to confuse and challenge navigation.
- (Anatomy) A complex system of interconnecting cavities or canals, specifically in the inner ear: This structure is concerned with hearing and equilibrium (balance).
Usage
- The word "labyrinth" is used to describe both physical places that are confusing to navigate and, in a specialized anatomical context, a specific part of the inner ear.
- It can also be used metaphorically to describe any complex and confusing situation, process, or set of rules.
Examples
- Physical Maze:
- The garden featured a large hedge labyrinth that visitors loved to explore.
- Getting through the bureaucratic labyrinth to obtain a visa was exhausting.
- Anatomical Structure:
- The bony labyrinth of the inner ear contains the cochlea and the vestibular system.
- Metaphorical Use:
- The novel's plot was a fascinating labyrinth of secrets and lies.
Advanced Usage
- "Labyrinthine" (Adjective): Having the characteristics of a labyrinth; intricate, complicated, and winding.
- The labyrinthine corridors of the old castle were impossible to navigate without a guide.
- The legal process was labyrinthine in its complexity.
Variants and Related Words
- Labyrinthian (adj): A less common synonym for "labyrinthine," meaning extremely intricate or complicated.
- Maze (n): A close synonym for the physical structure, though "maze" often implies a puzzle with choices, while "labyrinth" can imply a single, winding, unavoidable path.
Synonyms
- Maze: A network of paths and hedges designed as a puzzle.
- Tangle: A confused mass of intertwined threads or a complicated situation.
- Web: A complex network of fine threads or a complicated arrangement.
- Complex: A group of interconnected buildings or a complicated system.
Antonyms
- Straight line: A direct, unobstructed path.
- Clarity: The quality of being clear and easy to understand.
- Simplicity: The quality or condition of being easy to understand or do.
Idioms and Phrases
- A labyrinth of red tape: An idiom describing excessively complex bureaucratic rules and procedures.
- Starting a business here means navigating a labyrinth of red tape.
- To be lost in a labyrinth of one's own thoughts: To be deeply confused or entangled in complex, circular thinking.
- After the shocking news, he was lost in a labyrinth of his own thoughts for days.
Noun
-
a complex system of interconnecting cavities; concerned with hearing and equilibrium
-
complex system of paths or tunnels in which it is easy to get lost
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