complement
- complement
complement, compliment, complementary, complimentary
1. Complement and compliment each function as noun and verb; in pronunciation they are largely indistinguishable except that in the verbal function compliment has a fuller -i- sound in its second syllable and both words have a more distinct -ment sound in the third syllable. Both words are derived from Latin complere ‘to fill up’; complement means ‘something that completes’ and should be distinguished from supplement which means ‘something that adds to’. A compliment is ‘a spoken or written expression of praise’.
2. The derivative adjectives have corresponding meanings. Complimentary means ‘expressing a compliment’ and has the additional meaning ‘given free of charge’ (e.g.complimentary tickets). (Complementary means ‘completing’ or ‘forming a complement’:
• Chelsea Theatre is a small yet dynamic new writing theatre enriched by a complementary programme of arts activities —theatre reviews website, 2004 [OEC])
and has a special use in the context of medical therapy that falls outside the scope of scientific medicine but supports it (e.g. acupuncture and osteopathy).
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complement
is a term in grammar for a word or phrase added to a verb to complete the predicate of a sentence. (In the examples that follow, the complement is in bold type.) The most common form of complement is the type that follows a verb of state such as be, look, seem, etc.: I am his brother / She looked lovely / You seem to be unhappy / They remained out of reach. A complement can also relate to the object of a sentence rather than its subject (He called his mother a fool), and the term is sometimes extended to include words and phrases that complete the sense of other words, e.g. adjectives (fond of chocolate) and prepositions (over the moon).
Modern English usage.
2014.
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Look at other dictionaries:
complément — [ kɔ̃plemɑ̃ ] n. m. • 1308; de l a. fr. complir « remplir »; repris 1690; lat. complementum, de complere « remplir » 1 ♦ Ce qui s ajoute ou doit s ajouter à une chose pour qu elle soit complète. ⇒ achèvement, couronnement. Le complément est… … Encyclopédie Universelle
complement — COMPLEMÉNT, complemente, s.n. 1. Ceea ce se adaugă la ceva spre a l întregi; complinire. 2. Parte secundară a propoziţiei care determină un verb, un adjectiv sau un adverb. 3. Substanţă de natură proteică prezentă în serul normal şi care… … Dicționar Român
Complement — Complément Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom … Wikipédia en Français
Complément à 2 — Complément à deux Le complément à deux est une représentation binaire des entiers relatifs qui permet d effectuer les opérations arithmétiques usuelles naturellement. bit de signe 0 1 1 … Wikipédia en Français
complement — COMPLEMENT. s. m. Ce qui s ajoute à une chose pour lui donner sa perfection. On dit en Théologie, Complément de béatitude, pour exprimer Le comble de la beatitude. La résurrection des corps sera le complément de la béatitude des Saints.Complément … Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798
complement — n Complement, supplement are comparable both as nouns meaning one thing that makes up for a want or deficiency in another thing and as verbs meaning to supply what is needed to make up for such a want or deficiency. Complement implies a… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
Complement — Com ple*ment, n. [L. complementun: cf. F. compl[ e]ment. See {Complete}, v. t., and cf. {Compliment}.] 1. That which fills up or completes; the quantity or number required to fill a thing or make it complete. [1913 Webster] 2. That which is… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Complement — (v. lat. Complementum), 1) Ergänzung; 2) (Math.), C. einer Größe ist im Allgemeinen das, was zu dieser addirt werden muß, um ein gewisses Ganze zu erhalten. Complement eines Winkels od. Kreisbogens ist beziehungsweise derjenige Winkel od. Bogen,… … Pierer's Universal-Lexikon
complement — ► NOUN 1) a thing that contributes extra features to something else so as to enhance or improve it. 2) the number or quantity that makes something complete. 3) a word or words used with a verb to complete the meaning of the predicate (e.g. happy… … English terms dictionary
Complement a un — Complément à un Le complément à un est l opération qui inverse la valeur de chacun des bits d un nombre binaire. Il est la première étape du complément à deux. Exemple Ce document provient de « Compl%C3%A9ment %C3%A0 un ». Catégorie :… … Wikipédia en Français
