perfect

The definition of perfect is someone or something that is excellent, correct and flawless.

(adjective)

  1. An example of perfect is a soft avocado without bruises.
  2. An example of perfect is a female singer who sings contralto, mezzo soprano and soprano.
  3. An example of perfect is right size allen wrench for the job.

Perfect is defined as to complete something or sharpen one's skills.

(verb)

An example of perfect is a gymnast achieving a landing without a slip up.

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See perfect in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective

  1. complete in all respects; without defect or omission; sound; flawless
  2. in a condition of complete excellence, as in skill or quantity; faultless; most excellent; sometimes used comparatively: “to create a more perfect union”
  3. completely correct or accurate; exact; precise: a perfect copy
  4. without reserve or qualification; pure; utter; sheer; absolute: a perfect fool, perfect stranger
  5. designating a binding of books in which pages are glued to cloth or paper at the spine rather than having the signatures sewn together
  6. Bot. monoclinous
  7. Gram. expressing or showing a state or action completed at the time of speaking or at the time indicated: verbs have three perfect tenses: simple (or present) perfect, past perfect (or pluperfect), and future perfect
  8. Music designating an interval of a unison, fourth, fifth, or octave

Origin: ME perfit < OFr parfit < L perfectus, pp. of perficere, to finish < per-, through (see per-) + facere, to make, do: mod. sp. is Latinized

transitive verb

  1. to bring to completion
  2. to make perfect or more nearly perfect according to a given standard, as by training

noun

  1. the perfect tense
  2. a verb form in this tense

Related Forms:

See perfect in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective
  1. Lacking nothing essential to the whole; complete of its nature or kind.
  2. Being without defect or blemish: a perfect specimen.
  3. Thoroughly skilled or talented in a certain field or area; proficient.
  4. Completely suited for a particular purpose or situation: She was the perfect actress for the part.
  5. a. Completely corresponding to a description, standard, or type: a perfect circle; a perfect gentleman.
    b. Accurately reproducing an original: a perfect copy of the painting.
  6. Complete; thorough; utter: a perfect fool.
  7. Pure; undiluted; unmixed: perfect red.
  8. Excellent and delightful in all respects: a perfect day.
  9. Botany Having both stamens and pistils in the same flower; monoclinous.
  10. Grammar Of, relating to, or constituting a verb form expressing action completed prior to a fixed point of reference in time.
  11. Music Designating the three basic intervals of the octave, fourth, and fifth.
noun
  1. Grammar The perfect tense.
  2. A verb or verb form in the perfect tense.
transitive verb (pər-fĕktˈ) per·fect·ed, per·fect·ing, per·fects
To bring to perfection or completion.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English perfit

Origin: , from Old French parfit

Origin: , from Latin perfectus

Origin: , past participle of perficere, to finish

Origin: : per-, per-

Origin: + facere, to do; see dhē- in Indo-European roots

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Related Forms:

  • per·fectˈer noun
  • perˈfect·ness noun
Usage Note: Some people maintain that perfect is an absolute term like chief and prime, and therefore cannot be modified by more, quite, relatively, and other qualifiers of degree. But the qualification of perfect has many reputable precedents (most notably in the preamble to the U.S. Constitution in the phrase “in order to form a more perfect Union”). By the same token, perfect often means “ideal for the purposes,” as in There could be no more perfect spot for the picnic, where modification by degree makes perfect sense. See Usage Notes at absolute, equal, unique.

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