complicity

noun

com·​plic·​i·​ty kəm-ˈpli-s(ə-)tē 

plural complicities

1

: association or participation in or as if in a wrongful act

arrested for complicity in the crime

2

: an instance of complicity

The two share a complicity she calls fraternal.

—Joan Dupont

Synonyms

• collusion
• connivance
• conspiracy

Examples of complicity in a Sentence

There's no proof of her complicity in the murder.

He acted with his brother's complicity.

Recent Examples on the Web

More:Lawsuit: Man newly freed from prison sought help 48 hours before killing cellmate at jail Court records show Tucker was indicted in 2018 on counts of complicity to commit arson and insurance fraud, but was ultimately acquitted of those charges at trial. —Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 29 Nov. 2024

The ruling – and the fact that the crimes in the warrant are potentially ongoing – raises the risk of complicity for countries that supply weapons to Israel and could pave the way for sanctions against Israel. —Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Nov. 2024

Alcott teaches us the danger of complicity and the importance of forging your own path. —Ivelisse Rodriguez, Orlando Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2024

As a result, French investigators charged Durov for his complicity in several serious crimes, including child pornography distribution and narcotics trafficking, which have allegedly been occurring on Telegram. Durov, who has French citizenship, has since been released on bail. —Michael Kan, PCMAG, 23 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French complicité, borrowed from New Latin complicitāt-, complicitās, formed from Late Latin complic-, complex "fellow-participant, partner, accomplice" and Latin -itāt-, -itās -ity, probably after Late Latin duplicitās duplicity — more at complice

Note: The formation of the word is peculiar in that Latin -itāt-, -itās, along with its descendants and borrowings, is rarely added to nouns. Outside of the dictionaries of Thomas Blount and Elisha Coles, complicity is rare to non-existent in English text before the later eighteenth century, when its adoption was probably stimulated by French complicité.

First Known Use

circa 1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

complicity

noun

com·​plic·​i·​ty kəm-ˈplis-ət-ē 

plural complicities

: association or participation in a wrongful act