byzantine
Describing a system, process, or set of rules that is excessively complicated, intricate, and often characterized by deviousness or underhandedness. It typically refers to bureaucratic or administrative structures that are difficult to navigate or understand.
Exemples
3 sur 5The instructions for setting up this smart home system are unexpectedly byzantine.
The instructions for setting up this smart home system are unexpectedly byzantine.
The committee struggled to navigate the byzantine protocols of the international treaty.
The committee struggled to navigate the byzantine protocols of the international treaty.
Fixing my broken phone turned into a byzantine process that took all day.
Fixing my broken phone turned into a byzantine process that took all day.
Synonymes
Antonymes
Famille de mots
Astuce mémo
Think of the ancient Byzantine Empire—it was famous for having so many secret plots, layers of government, and confusing laws that it became a human maze.
Quiz rapide
The merger was delayed for months by a _____ web of legal requirements and paperwork.
Correct !
La bonne réponse est : byzantine
Exemples
The instructions for setting up this smart home system are unexpectedly byzantine.
everydayThe instructions for setting up this smart home system are unexpectedly byzantine.
The committee struggled to navigate the byzantine protocols of the international treaty.
formalThe committee struggled to navigate the byzantine protocols of the international treaty.
Fixing my broken phone turned into a byzantine process that took all day.
informalFixing my broken phone turned into a byzantine process that took all day.
Scholars often critique the byzantine structure of the medieval tax system in their research.
academicScholars often critique the byzantine structure of the medieval tax system in their research.
The company's byzantine hierarchy makes it impossible to get a quick decision from management.
businessThe company's byzantine hierarchy makes it impossible to get a quick decision from management.
Synonymes
Antonymes
Famille de mots
Collocations courantes
Phrases Courantes
byzantine politics
byzantine politics
byzantine regulations
byzantine regulations
byzantine maze
byzantine maze
Souvent confondu avec
Convoluted refers to anything twisted or complex, while byzantine specifically implies a complex system or administrative structure.
Complex is a neutral term for something with many parts; byzantine is usually pejorative, suggesting unnecessary difficulty.
Notes d'usage
The word is almost always used in a negative sense to criticize a system that is harder to understand than it needs to be. It is common in political and academic writing.
Erreurs courantes
Learners often forget that when referring to the historical Empire, it must be capitalized (Byzantine), but when used as a general adjective for complexity, it is often lowercase.
Astuce mémo
Think of the ancient Byzantine Empire—it was famous for having so many secret plots, layers of government, and confusing laws that it became a human maze.
Origine du mot
Derived from Byzantium, the ancient Greek city (later Constantinople), known for its highly complex and devious political life.
Modèles grammaticaux
Contexte culturel
The term reflects a Western historical stereotype of the Eastern Roman Empire as being excessively focused on complex ritual and political intrigue.
Quiz rapide
The merger was delayed for months by a _____ web of legal requirements and paperwork.
Correct !
La bonne réponse est : byzantine
Vocabulaire associé
Mots lis
sit
A1To rest your body on your bottom with your back upright, typically on a chair or the floor. It describes both the action of moving into this position and the state of being in it.
stand
A1To be in an upright position supported by one's feet rather than sitting or lying down. It also refers to the physical location of an object or a person's particular opinion on a subject.
pay
A1To give money to someone in exchange for goods, services, or to settle a debt. It can also mean to give something non-monetary, such as attention or a compliment.
meet
A1To come together with someone at a specific place and time, or to be introduced to someone for the first time. It can also mean to satisfy a requirement, standard, or need.
continue
A1To keep doing something or to stay in the same state without stopping. It can also mean to start an activity again after a short break.
set
A1To put or place something in a specific position or location. It also means to adjust or prepare something so that it is ready for use, such as a clock or a table.
learn
A1To gain knowledge, understanding, or a skill by studying, practicing, or being taught. It refers to the process of acquiring information through experience or education.
lead
A1To go in front of a group of people to show them the way to a place. It also means to be in control of a group, a team, or an activity.
understand
A1To know the meaning of what someone is saying or how something works. It involves grasping an idea, a language, or a situation clearly in your mind.
follow
A1To move behind someone or something in the same direction. It also means to obey rules, instructions, or to understand the logic of an argument or story.
Commentaires (0)
Connectez-vous pour CommenterCommencez à apprendre les langues gratuitement
Commence Gratuitement