Meaning & Definition of word "Perplexity"

Perplexity

/pərˈplɛksɪti/

noun:

  • 1. the state of being perplexed; confusion or uncertainty.
    • Example: The complexity of the problem led to a profound sense of perplexity among the team members.
  • 2. a situation that is confusing or difficult to understand.
    • Example: Her sudden change of plans added to his perplexity about the situation.
  • 3. a measure of how predictable or understandable a dataset or probability distribution is.
    • Example: The perplexity of the language model indicates how well it can predict the next word in a sentence.

Etymology

From Latin perplexitas, from perplectere, meaning 'to entangle'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

in a state of perplexity:

experiencing confusion or uncertainty.

perplexity of choices:

the complicated nature of selecting among various options.

to add to one's perplexity:

to further complicate a confusing situation.

Related Words

perplex:

to confuse or bewilder.

confound:

to cause surprise or confusion in someone.

bewilder:

to cause someone to become perplexed and confused.

Slang Meanings of perplexity

Meaning: brain freeze

Example Sentence: He had a brain freeze trying to understand that math problem.

Meaning: mind-boggle

Example Sentence: The plot twist was such a mind-boggle that it left everyone speechless.