English▸ noun
1 a complicated irregular network of passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one's way; a maze:
a labyrinth of passages and secret chambers.
▪ an intricate and confusing arrangement:
a labyrinth of conflicting laws and regulations.
2 Anatomy a complex structure in the inner ear which contains the organs of hearing and balance. It consists of bony cavities (the bony labyrinth) filled with fluid and lined with sensitive membranes (the membranous labyrinth).
▪ Zoology an organ of intricate structure, in particular the accessory respiratory organs of certain fishes.
– ORIGIN late Middle English (referring to the maze constructed by Daedalus to house the Minotaur): from French labyrinthe or Latin labyrinthus, from Greek laburinthos.