Relating to or dependent upon complexion; of or pertaining to the complexion.
From 'complexion' plus '-ary'. A variant form that appeared in early modern English medical texts, now virtually obsolete.
This suffix '-ary' was used in older medical writing but gave way to '-al'—you can trace how English medical language slowly standardized over centuries!
Rare but carries same legacy as "complexional" — encoding hierarchy of appearance into language as character/capability marker.
Avoid entirely; not standard. Use "appearance-based" if necessary, with explicit rejection of appearance-to-character linking.
["appearance-based","phenotypic"]
Scholars like Angela Davis and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie challenged appearance-as-destiny narratives that historically confined women.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.