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
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.
| 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
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
complement [ˈkɔmplɪmənt] n → complément m [esp of ship's crew etc]; effectif complet
vt (= enhance) → compléter
complement n [ˈkɔmplɪmənt] → complemento;
(especially of ship's crew etc) → effettivo
vt [ˈkɔmplɪmɛnt] (= enhance) → accompagnarsi bene a
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 보어 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 보충물 papildymas, (su)komplektavimas, komplektas papildinājums bilangan yang cukup complement tillegg, utfylling uzupełnienie complemento efectiv, completare дополнение doplnok dopolnilo dodatak komplement สิ่งที่เพิ่มเพื่อให้เกิดความสมบูรณ์ tamamlayıcı şey 補足物 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 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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