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complement definition

com·ple·ment (käm′plə mənt; for v., -ment′)

noun

  1. that which completes or brings to perfection
  2. the amount or number needed to fill or complete
  3. a complete set; entirety
  4. something added to complete a whole; either of two parts that complete each other
  5. Gram. a word or group of words that, with the verb, completes the meaning and syntactic structure of the predicate (Ex.: foreman in “make him foreman,” paid in “he expects to get paid”)
  6. Immunology a complex series of proteins in the blood plasma that acts with specific antibodies to destroy corresponding antigens, as bacteria or foreign proteins
  7. Math.
    1. the number of degrees that must be added to a given angle or arc to make it equal 90 degrees
    2. the subset which must be added to any given subset to yield the original set
  8. Music the difference between a given interval and the complete octave
  9. Naut. all of a ship's personnel, including the officers, required to operate a ship

Etymology: ME < L complementum, that which fills up or completes < complere: see complete

transitive verb

to make complete; be a complement to

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

medical complement definition - medical

complement Synonyms

complement

n.

  1. That which completes

    supplement, correlative, counterpart; see addition 2, equal.

  2. Full amount

    totality, wholeness, entirety; see whole.

  3. That which completes the number of something

    balance, filler, rest; see remainder.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

complement Usage Examples

Object

  • activation: C5a functions also as a chemoattractant, inducing the migration of leukocytes into an area of complement activation.

Subject

  • tutorial: Simulations and animations also help with more challenging concepts and all of this is complemented by tutorial and laboratory sessions.

Adjective modifier

  • full: The full complement is expected to total over 250.

Modifying Another Word

  • perfectly: The creamy, moist texture of the cheese is perfectly complemented by the gentle smoky flavor given by the smoking process.

Present participle complement

  • exist: What is the best way to deploy fixed WiMAX networks to complement existing broadband services?

Preposition: by

  • selection: Nowadays, the superior performance of Balmoral's beverage equipment is complemented by a selection of fine ingredients.
complement usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

complement quotes

Bureaucracy is not an obstacle to democracy but an inevitable complement to it.

-Schumpeter,Joseph Alois

The recruiting field for the militant suffragists is the million of our excess female populationöthat million whichhad better long ago have gone out tomate with its complement of men beyond the sea.

-Wright, SirAlmroth Edward

complement quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"complement." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/complement>

APA Style

complement. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/complement

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