du·plex / ˈd(y)oōpleks/ • n. something having two parts, in particular: ∎  a house divided into two apartments, with a separate entrance for each. ∎  an apartment on two floors. ∎  Biochem. a double-stranded polynucleotide molecule.• adj. 1. having two parts, in particular: ∎  (of a house) having two apartments. ∎  (of an apartment) on two floors. ∎  (of paper or board) having two differently colored layers or sides. ∎  Biochem. consisting of two polynucleotide strands linked side by side. ∎  (of a printer or its software) capable of printing on both sides of the paper.2. (of a communications system, computer circuit, etc.) allowing the transmission of two signals simultaneously in opposite directions. Compare with multiplex, simplex.

duplex A series of horses bounded by a roof thrust and a floor thrust. There are three main types of compressional duplexes: hinterland dipping; foreland dipping; and antiformal stacks. There are also extensional duplexes in normal dip-slip regimes. Duplex terminology has also been applied to strike-slip terrains where smaller en échelon features bound by two continuous, major fault zones form a strike-slip complex. In strike-slip regimes extensional and compressional duplexes may coexist.

Duplex ★★ 2003 (PG-13)

New York yuppies try to bump off a sweet old lady for her rent-controlled apartment in Brooklyn. Alex (Stiller) and Nancy (Barrymore), however, didn't start out as would-be assassins in the name of real estate. After moving into a picture-perfect duplex downstairs from Mrs. Connell, they discover that, although very old and in poor health, she still manages a host of irksome behaviors. With her health not declining nearly fast enough, the senior-crazed couple are driven to desperate measures. Stiller is top-notch and Barry-more a worthy co-star despite a farfetched plot that revenge comedy specialist/director DeVito ultimately doesn't sell. 88m/C VHS, DVD . US Drew Barrymore, Ben Stiller, Eileen Essell, Harvey Fierstein, Justin Theroux, Robert Wisdom, Amber Valletta, James Remar, Maya Rudolph, Swoosie Kurtz, Wallace Shawn; D: Danny DeVito; W: Larry Doyle; C: Anastas Michos; M: David Newman.

duplex (full duplex) Involving or denoting a connection between two endpoints, either physical or logical, over which data may travel in both directions simultaneously. See also half duplex, simplex, return channel.

duplex Describing a biological molecule comprising two cross-linked polymeric chains oriented lengthways side by side. The term is applied particularly to the double-stranded structure of DNA.