complement

com·ple·ment  (kmpl-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 after a verb to complete a predicate construction; 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. (-mnt) 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.

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[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin complmentum, 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."

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complement

Noun

1. a person or thing that completes something

2. a complete amount or number: a full complement of staff nurses and care assistants

3. the officers and crew needed to man a ship

4. Grammar a word or words added to the verb to complete the meaning of the predicate in a sentence, as a fool in He is a fool or that he would come in I hoped that he would come

5. Maths the angle that when added to a specified angle produces a right angle

Verb

to complete or form a complement to [Latin com- (intensive) + plere to fill]

USAGE: Avoid confusion with compliment.

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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.

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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.

Thesaurus

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" full complement manpower, men, work force, workforce, hands - the force of workers available 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" accompaniment 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"

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complement

verb 1. enhance, complete, improve, boost, crown, add to, set off, heighten, augment, round off

noun 2. accompaniment, companion, accessory, completion, finishing touch, rounding-off, adjunct, supplement

noun 3. total, capacity, quota, aggregate, contingent, entirety

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 [ˈkɔmplɪmənt] n → complemento (= esp ship's crew); dotación f

vt [ˈkɔmplɪmɛnt] (= enhance) → complementar

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complement [ˈkɔmplɪmənt] n → complément m [esp of ship's crew etc]; effectif complet

vt (= enhance) → compléter

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complement [ˈkɔmplɪmənt] n → Ergänzung f;

(esp ship's crew) → Besatzung f

vt → ergänzen;

to have a full complement of ... (people) → die volle Stärke an ... dat haben;

(items) → die volle Zahl an ... dat haben

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complement n [ˈkɔmplɪmənt] → complemento;

(especially of ship's crew etc) → effettivo

vt [ˈkɔmplɪmɛnt] (= enhance) → accompagnarsi bene a