different between intricacy vs labyrinth

English

Etymology

From intricate +? -cy.

Noun

intricacy (countable and uncountable, plural intricacies)

1. The state or quality of being intricate or entangled.

   the intricacy of a knot

   the intricacy of accounts

   the intricacy of a cause in controversy

2. Perplexity

   Synonyms: involution, complication, complexity

3. Something which is intricate or complex.

   There are many intricacies in the plot of this novel.

Translations

References

• intricacy in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• intricacy in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French labyrinthe or Latin labyrinthus, from Ancient Greek ?????????? (labúrinthos, “a maze”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?læb.?.??n?/, /?læb.??n?/

Noun

labyrinth (plural labyrinths)

1. (Greek mythology) a maze-like structure built by Daedalus in Knossos, containing the Minotaur
   1. a complicated irregular network of passages or paths, especially underground or covered, in which it is difficult to find one's way

      Synonym: maze

   2. a maze (as in a garden) formed by paths separated by high hedges
   3. anything complicated and confusing in structure, arrangement, or character
2. (anatomy) a tortuous anatomical structure:
   1. (anatomy) a complex structure in the inner ear which contains the organs of hearing and balance. It consists of bony cavities (the bony labyrinth) filled with fluid and lined with sensitive membranes (the membranous labyrinth)
   2. (zoology) an accessory respiratory organ of certain fish
3. any of various satyrine butterflies of the genus Neope

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

labyrinth (third-person singular simple present labyrinths, present participle labyrinthing, simple past and past participle labyrinthed)

1. to enclose in a labyrinth, or as though in a labyrinth
2. to arrange in the form of a labyrinth
3. to twist and wind, following a labyrinthine path
4. to render lost and confused, as if in a labyrinth

References

• John A. Simpson and Edward S. C. Weiner, editors (1989) , “labyrinth”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, ?ISBN
• “labyrinth”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–present.
• “labyrinth”, in Merriam–Webster Online Dictionary, (Please provide a date or year).