complement

¹com·ple·ment

noun \ˈkäm-plə-mənt\

Definition of COMPLEMENT

1

a : something that fills up, completes, or makes perfect b : the quantity, number, or assortment required to make a thing complete <the usual complement of eyes and ears — Francis Parkman>; especially : the whole force or personnel of a ship c : one of two mutually completing parts : counterpart

2

a : the angle or arc that when added to a given angle or arc equals a right angle in measure b : the set of all elements that do not belong to a given set and are contained in a particular mathematical set containing the given set c : a number that when added to another number of the same sign yields zero if the significant digit farthest to the left is discarded —used especially in assembly language programming

3

: the musical interval required with a given interval to complete the octave

4

: an added word or expression by which a predication is made complete (as president in “they elected him president” and beautiful in “he thought her beautiful”)

5

: the thermolabile group of proteins in normal blood serum and plasma that in combination with antibodies causes the destruction especially of particulate antigens (as bacteria and foreign blood corpuscles)

Examples of COMPLEMENT

1. The scarf is a perfect complement to her outfit.
2. a full complement of farm animals
3. her usual complement of attendants
4. a ship's complement of officers
5. “President” in “they elected her president” and “to work” in “he wants to work” are different kinds of complements.
6. With the loss of just one American and four Japanese carriers, including their complements of aircraft and many of their superbly trained fliers … , Midway … put the Japanese navy at a disadvantage from which it never recovered. —David M. Kennedy, Atlantic, March 1999
7. Exact observation of the outer world was the complement to a literal reading of Scripture. —Garry Wills, Under God, 1990
8. The usual complement of Kremlin guards was about, one company of infantry with light arms. —Tom Clancy, Red Storm Rising, 1986
9. His faults are accepted as the necessary complement to his merits. —W. Somerset Maugham, Moon and Sixpence, 1919

Illustration of COMPLEMENT

Origin of COMPLEMENT

Middle English, from Latin complementum, from complēre to fill up, complete, from com- + plēre to fill — more at full

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to COMPLEMENT

Synonyms: correlate, supplement

Related Words: addendum, addition, appendix; adjunct, annex, appendage, extension; accessory (also accessary), accompaniment, appliance, attachment; additive, filler

see all synonyms and antonyms

[+]more[-]hide