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Definition of perplexity - 4 dictionary results

per⋅plex⋅i⋅ty

[per-plek-si-tee]
–noun, plural -ties.
1. the state of being perplexed; confusion; uncertainty.
2. something that perplexes: a case plagued with perplexities.
3. a tangled, involved, or confused condition or situation.

Origin:
1350–1400; ME perplexite < OF < LL perplexitās, equiv. to L perplex(us) (see perplexed ) + -itās -ity
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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per·plex·i·ty   (pər-plěk'sĭ-tē)   
n.   pl. per·plex·i·ties
  1. The state of being perplexed or puzzled.

  2. The state of being intricate or complicated: "the perplexity of life in twentieth-century America" (Daniel J. Boorstin).

  3. Something that perplexes.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

perplexity 
c.1300, from L.L. perplexitas, from L. perplexus "confused, involved," from per- "completely" + plexus "entangled," pp. of plectere "to twine." Perplex (v.) is attested from 1477, but originally and until 17c. only in pp. form perplexed.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Computing Dictionary

perplexity
The geometric mean of the number of words which may follow any given word for a certain lexicon and grammar.

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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