Perplexities

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The condition of experiencing confusion arising from multiple complicated issues
2. The various challenges or intricate situations that generate uncertainty and confusion for an individual
3. Experiences of being mentally uncertain or puzzled when facing difficult circumstances ; complicated scenarios or issues that are hard to understand or solve

Etymology: "Perplexities" is simply the plural of "perplexity," so it names several confusing problems at once. The root sense is physical: Latin "perplexus" meant "entangled," from "per-" (thoroughly) and "plexus" (braided or interwoven), the same family as "complex" and "plexus." A tangle of threads or a knotted path was the picture behind the idea. "Perplexity" reached English in the Middle English period through Middle French "perplexité" or a post-classical Latin form "perplexitās," so the noun was already carrying the sense of being tangled in thought. The verb "perplex," from the same Latin adjective, is the more basic word, and "-ity" was added to turn the state into a noun.

Synonyms: confusions, difficulties, puzzles, mysteries, complexities

Antonyms: clarities, simplicities, solutions, certainties, understandings