byzantine
- Excessively complicated and difficult to navigate, especially in reference to systems, regulations, or politics; characterized by scheming or underhand complexity.
- Of or relating to Byzantium or the Eastern Roman Empire and its art, architecture, and culture (capitalized in this sense).
In a sentence
- Navigating the byzantine rules of the insurance claim process took her three months.
- The merger collapsed under the weight of byzantine corporate regulations that no one fully understood.
Usage note. When used in its figurative sense of 'overly complicated,' byzantine is written lowercase; capitalize it only when referring directly to the historical Byzantine Empire or its culture.
Where it comes from
English byzantine · entered English 20th c.
From 'Byzantine,' the adjective form of 'Byzantium,' the Greek name for the ancient city later called Constantinople (modern Istanbul), derived from the legendary founder Byzas. The figurative sense of 'intricate and devious' developed in the 20th century, reflecting historical characterizations of the Eastern Roman court's famously complex politics.