duplex

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin duplex (“double, two-fold”), from duo (“two”) + plico (“fold together”); compare the roots of διπλόος (diplóos, “double”); compare also πλέκω (plékō, “twist, braid”). By surface analysis, duo- +‎ -plex.

Pronunciation

• (US) enPR: do͞o'plĕks, IPA^(key): /ˈdu.plɛks/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uːplɛks

Adjective

duplex (not comparable)

1. Double; made up of two parts.
   1. (architecture) Having two floors.
   2. (architecture) Having two units, divisions, suites, or apartments.
   3. (metallurgy) Of stainless steel: having a structure containing austenite and ferrite in roughly equal proportions.
      • 2010, Harold M. Cobb, The History of Stainless Steel, Materials Park, O.H.: ASM International, →ISBN, page 189:

        Duplex stainless steels have been classified according to the first period (1930–1960) and second period (1960–1990). The designations for these duplex alloys in the United States have been primarily according to Unified Numbering System (UNS) numbers in the S3xxx.x series.

2. (telecommunications) Bidirectional (in two directions).

   Antonyms: simplex, unidirectional

   duplex telegraphy

3. (soil science) Having horizons with contrasting textures.
   • 1977, Australian Journal of Botany, volume 25, page 462:

     Soils are duplex, sandy and solodic. The dominant trees are the stringybark eucalypts […]

Noun

duplex (plural duplexes or duplices)

1. (US, Canada, Australia) A house made up of two dwelling units.
   • 2020, Akwaeke Emezi, The Death of Vivek Oji, Faber & Faber Ltd, page 53:

     The house had been renovated into a duplex and he’d put in a phone line.

2. (US) A dwelling unit with two floors.
3. (philately) A cancellation combining a numerical cancellation with a second mark showing time, date, and place of posting.
4. (juggling) A throwing motion where two balls are thrown with one hand at the same time.
5. (biochemistry) A double-stranded polynucleotide.
6. (geology) A system of multiple thrust faults bounded above and below by a roof thrust and floor thrust.
   • 1993, David J. Lidke, Jack Burton Epstein, Chester A. Wallace, U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin, page 16:

     In contrast, the folds in the overlying lithotectonic unit 4 are larger and are cut by a series of faults in a duplex.

   • 1995, Robert D. Hatcher, Structural Geology: Principles, Concepts, and Problems, page 211:

     It has been noted, using a combination of surface geologic and seismic reflection data, that a duplex, although formed in response to movement of a thrust sheet, frequently arches the thrust sheet as the duplex is built by duplication of rocks beneath it […]

Verb

duplex (third-person singular simple present duplexes, present participle duplexing, simple past and past participle duplexed)

1. To make duplex.
2. To make into a duplex.
3. (juggling) To make a series of duplex throws.

Further reading

• Duplex on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Duplex stainless steel on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin duplex, see above.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dy.plɛks/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Audio (Canada):

  (file)

Noun

duplex m (plural duplex)

1. a link between two points, such as a cable or a wire
2. duplex, maisonette (dwelling)

Further reading

• “duplex”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Latin duplex.

Noun

duplex m (invariable)

1. (telecommunications) duplex (communications link allowing simultaneous sending and receiving)
2. (telephony) party line
3. (telephony) telephone or telephone user on a party line
4. (metallurgy) duplex process (for refining steel)
5. (architecture) two-story residence with separated living and sleeping areas
6. (typography) duplex matrix (matrix bearing two signs next to each other)