complicity
UK[kəmˈplɪsɪti]US[kəmˈplɪsəti]
n
Involvement in a crime or wrongdoing; the state of being an accomplice.
n
Association or participation in a questionable act or a fault.
Morpheme Breakdown
com
plic
ity
com
together
plic
fold
ity
state of
Etymology
The word 'complicity' weaves a story of being folded together into a shared, often secret, act. Its core components originate from Latin: the prefix 'com-' (together) and the verb plicāre (to fold). The literal sense of being "folded together" evolved metaphorically to imply being entwined or involved in a joint venture. Over time, this notion of involvement became specifically associated with partnership in wrongdoing, a meaning solidified when combined with the noun-forming suffix '-ity' to denote the state or condition of such entanglement.
Analysis
Structure: com (together) + plic (fold) + ity (state of)
- com: Latin prefix meaning 'together', 'with', or 'jointly'. A variant of 'con-' assimilated before 'p'.
- plic: From Latin root plicāre, meaning 'to fold', 'to bend', or 'to intertwine'.
- ity: Latin suffix -itās, forming nouns indicating a state or condition.
Examples
The evidence suggested his complicity in the fraud.
She was accused of complicity for failing to report the illegal activities.
There was a suspicion of government complicity in the cover-up.