com·ple·ment (k m pl -mnt)n. 1. a. Something that completes, makes up a whole, or brings to perfection. b. The quantity or number needed to make up a whole: shelves with a full complement of books. c. Either of two parts that complete the whole or mutually complete each other. 2. An angle related to another so that the sum of their measures is 90°. 3. Grammar A word or words used to complete a predicate construction, especially the object or indirect object of a verb; for example, the phrase to eat ice cream in We like to eat ice cream. 4. Music An interval that completes an octave when added to a given interval. 5. The full crew of officers and enlisted personnel required to run a ship. 6. Immunology A complex system of proteins found in normal blood plasma that combines with antibodies to destroy pathogenic bacteria and other foreign cells. Also called alexin. 7. Mathematics & Logic For a universal set, the set of all elements in the set that are not in a specified subset. 8. A complementary color. tr.v. (-m  nt ) com·ple·ment·ed, com·ple·ment·ing, com·ple·ments To serve as a complement to: Roses in a silver bowl complement the handsome cherry table. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin compl  mentum, from complre, to fill out; see complete.]Usage Note: Complement and compliment, though quite distinct in meaning, are sometimes confused because they are pronounced the same. As a noun, complement means "something that completes or brings to perfection" (The antique silver was a complement to the beautifully set table); used as a verb it means "to serve as a complement to." The noun compliment means "an expression or act of courtesy or praise" (They gave us a compliment on our beautifully set table), while the verb means "to pay a compliment to." |
complement
n [ˈkɒmplɪmənt]
1. a person or thing that completes something
2. one of two parts that make up a whole or complete each other
3. a complete amount, number, etc. (often in the phrase full complement)
4. (Transport / Nautical Terms) the officers and crew needed to man a ship
5. (Linguistics / Grammar) Grammar
a. a noun phrase that follows a copula or similar verb, as for example an idiot in the sentence He is an idiot
b. a clause that serves as the subject or direct object of a verb or the direct object of a preposition, as for example that he would be early in the sentence I hoped that he would be early
6. (Mathematics) Maths the angle that when added to a specified angle produces a right angle
7. (Philosophy / Logic) (Mathematics) Logic Maths the class of all things, or of all members of a given universe of discourse, that are not members of a given set
8. (Music, other) Music the inverted form of an interval that, when added to the interval, completes the octave the sixth is the complement of the third
9. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Microbiology) Immunol a group of proteins in the blood serum that, when activated by antibodies, causes destruction of alien cells, such as bacteria
vb [ˈkɒmplɪˌmɛnt]
(tr) to add to, make complete, or form a complement to
[from Latin complēmentum, from complēre to fill up, from com- (intensive) + plēre to fill]
Usage: Avoid confusion with compliment
| complement (kmpl-mnt) 1. A group of proteins in blood serum that interact systematically as part of the body's immune response to destroy disease-causing antigens, especially bacteria. Complement proteins interact with antibodies and other chemical substances to cause the disintegration of foreign cells and enhance other immune functions such as phagocytosis. 2. A complementary color. |
Complement the full amount; a set; the total number of personnel of a ship or military establishment; a cargo; the amount needed to fill a conveyance.
Example: complement of cloves, 1697.
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. | complement - a word or phrase used to complete a grammatical construction grammatical construction, construction, expression - a group of words that form a constituent of a sentence and are considered as a single unit; "I concluded from his awkward constructions that he was a foreigner" |
| 2. | complement - a complete number or quantity; "a full complement" count - the total number counted; "a blood count" | |
| 3. | complement - number needed to make up a whole force; "a full complement of workers" ship's company, company - crew of a ship including the officers; the whole force or personnel of a ship | |
| 4. | complement - something added to complete or embellish or make perfect; "a fine wine is a perfect complement to the dinner"; "wild rice was served as an accompaniment to the main dish" adjunct - something added to another thing but not an essential part of it | |
| 5. | complement - one of a series of enzymes in the blood serum that are part of the immune response immune reaction, immune response, immunologic response - a bodily defense reaction that recognizes an invading substance (an antigen: such as a virus or fungus or bacteria or transplanted organ) and produces antibodies specific against that antigen enzyme - any of several complex proteins that are produced by cells and act as catalysts in specific biochemical reactions | |
| 6. | complement - either of two parts that mutually complete each other counterpart, opposite number, vis-a-vis - a person or thing having the same function or characteristics as another | |
| Verb | 1. | complement - make complete or perfect; supply what is wanting or form the complement to; "I need some pepper to complement the sweet touch in the soup" balance, equilibrise, equilibrize, equilibrate - bring into balance or equilibrium; "She has to balance work and her domestic duties"; "balance the two weights" |
complement
verb
noun
1. accompaniment, companion, accessory, completion, finishing touch, rounding-off, adjunct, supplement The green wallpaper is the perfect complement to the old pine of the dresser.
2. total, capacity, quota, aggregate, contingent, entirety Each ship had a complement of around a dozen officers and 250 men.
Usage: This is sometimes confused with compliment but the two words have very different meanings. As the synonyms show, the verb form of complement means `to enhance' and `to complete' something. In contrast, common synonyms of compliment as a verb are praise, commend, and flatter.
Translations
complement
A. [ˈkɒmplɪmənt] N
1. (gen) → complemento m
to be a complement to → complementar a
this wine is the perfect complement to smoked salmon → este vino complementa perfectamente al salmón ahumado
to be a complement to → complementar a
this wine is the perfect complement to smoked salmon → este vino complementa perfectamente al salmón ahumado
B. [ˈkɒmplɪment] VT → complementar
complement [ˈkɒmplɪmənt] n
(= total number) [staff] → effectif m
The borough will be 100 teachers short of a full complement of 2,500 → La municipalité aura 100 professeurs manquants par rapport à un effectif total de 2,500.
to have the full complement of sth (= proper number or amount) → avoir la totalité de qch
They did not have the full complement of 11 players on the pitch → Ils n'avaient pas la totalité des onze joueurs sur le terrain.
The borough will be 100 teachers short of a full complement of 2,500 → La municipalité aura 100 professeurs manquants par rapport à un effectif total de 2,500.
to have the full complement of sth (= proper number or amount) → avoir la totalité de qch
They did not have the full complement of 11 players on the pitch → Ils n'avaient pas la totalité des onze joueurs sur le terrain.
complement
n
(= addition) → Ergänzung f (→ to +gen); (to perfect sth) → Vervollkommnung f (→ to +gen); (= colour) → Komplementärfarbe f → (to zu)
(= full number) → volle Stärke; (= crew of ship) → Besatzung f; the battalion didn’t have its full complement of soldiers → das Bataillon hatte seine Sollstärke nicht; we’ve got our full complement in the office now → unser Büro ist jetzt komplett or voll besetzt
(Gram) → Ergänzung f
(Math: = angle) → Ergänzungswinkel m
vt
(= add to) → ergänzen; (= make perfect) → vervollkommnen, abrunden; (colour) → herausbringen; to complement each other → sich ergänzen; (colours) → aufeinander abgestimmt sein
(Math) → zu 90° ergänzen
complement [ɐn ˈkɒmplɪmənt; ɐvb ˈkɒmplɪˌmɛnt]
1. n
a. (gen) (Gram, Math) → complemento
b. (staff, crew) → effettivo
2. vt (enhance) → accompagnarsi bene a, completare
n complement [ˈkompləmənt]
1 in a sentence, the words of the predicate, not including the verb. aanvulling كَلِمَه مُتَمِّمَه للخَبَر допълнение doplněk predikatsord; predikativ die Ergänzung κατηγορούμενο (γραμμ.) complemento öeldistäide مسند täytemääräys complément מַשלִים वाक्य dopuna predikata, priloška oznaka állítmánykiegészítő pelengkap sagnfylling complemento 補語 보충 vardinė tarinio dalis papildinātājs (gramatikā) pelengkap bepaling van gesteldheid predikatsord, predikativ dopełnienie complemento complement дополнение doplnok določilo dopuna predikatsfyllnad องค์ประกอบที่ทำให้สมบูรณ์ในประโยค tümleç, tamlayıcı 補語 додаток تکملہ bổ ngữ 补语
2 (something added to make) a complete number or amount. volledige; afronding عَد مُكَمِّل добавка doplnění tillæg; supplement ergänzen συμπλήρωμα complemento täiendus مکمل täydennys complément מִכְסַה अनुपूरक nadopuna, potpuni broj, komplement teljes szám tambahan full tala, tilætlaður fjöldi complemento 定数 보완물 papildymas, (su)komplektavimas, komplektas papildinājums bilangan yang cukup complement tillegg, utfylling uzupełnienie complemento efectiv, completare дополнение doplnok dopolnilo dodatak komplement สิ่งที่เพิ่มเพื่อให้เกิดความสมบูรณ์ tamamlayıcı şey 補充 комплект مکمل کرنے والا phần bổ sung 补足物
v
to complete, fill up. afhandel, afrond, vervolledig, voltooi; uitvoer; invul يُكَمِّل، يَمْلأ допълвам doplnit udfylde; fylde op ergänzen συμπληρώνω complementar täiendama کامل کردن täydentää compléter לְהַשלִים किसी को पूर्ण करना učiniti potpunim, biti dopuna kiegészít melengkapi fylla (upp) completare 補う 완전하게 하다, 보충하다 papildyti papildināt melengkapkan completeren fullstendiggjøre, utfylle, fylle opp dopełniać completar a completa дополнять doplniť dopolniti dzavršiti komplettera เสร็จ tamamlamak 補充 доповнювати; укомплектовувати مکمل کرنا bổ sung 补充
adj compleˈmentary
aanvullend, aanvullings=, komplementêr مُكَمِّل، مُتَمِّم допълнителен doplňkový, doplňující se supplerende Ergänzungs-..., komplementär συμπληρωματικός complementario täiendav مکمل؛ تکمیلی täydentävä complémentaire מַשלִים समपूरक dopunski, komplementaran (egymást) kiegészítő pelengkap uppbótar-; sem bæta hver annan upp complementare 補足的な 보충적인 papildantis papildu- saling melengkapi complementair utfyllende, supplerende dopełniający complementar complementar дополнительный doplnkový dopolnilen dopunski kompletterande ที่เสริมเข้าไปให้สมบูรณ์ tamamlayıcı, bütünleyici 補充的 додатковий اضافہ کرنے والا bổ sung 补充的
the complement (not compliment ) of a verb.
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