complement
B2Formal, Academic, Technical, Everyday
Definition
Meaning
Something that completes, makes whole, or brings to perfection.
1. In grammar: a word or phrase needed to complete a grammatical construction. 2. In mathematics: the amount needed to make an angle equal to 90°. 3. In colour theory: colours opposite each other on the colour wheel. 4. In business/military: the full number of people required to crew a ship or form a team.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Do not confuse with 'compliment' (praise). A complement 'completes' something; it is about balance and fulfilment rather than flattery. The verb form often implies a harmonious pairing.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor spelling differences in derived forms (e.g., complementation vs complementation). The core meanings and usage are identical.
Connotations
Identical.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in academic/technical contexts in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
to complement [NP] (perfectly/nicely)[NP1] and [NP2] complement each otherbe a complement to [NP]serve as a complement for [NP]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A perfect complement”
- “To be complementary (to)”
- “The yin to its yang”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to a product, service, or skill that enhances another. 'Our consulting services complement our software offering.'
Academic
Used in linguistics, mathematics, biology, and art theory. 'The adjective phrase functions as the object complement.'
Everyday
Used for food/wine pairings, clothing, or describing harmonious pairs. 'That scarf is a lovely complement to your coat.'
Technical
In immunology: a system of proteins; in geometry: the complement of an angle; in computing: a bitwise complement operation.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The new sofa complements our antique furniture perfectly.
- His analytical skills complement her creative vision.
American English
- The sauvignon blanc complements the grilled fish nicely.
- Their research methodologies complement each other.
adverb
British English
- The flavours work together complementarily.
American English
- The two departments function complementarily.
adjective
British English
- The complementary angles add up to 90 degrees.
- They offer complementary therapies like massage.
American English
- We received complementary tickets to the show.
- The two theories are complementary, not contradictory.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The red shoes are a nice complement to her black dress.
- Rice is a good complement to curry.
- The museum has reached its full complement of visitors for today.
- His patience complements her energy very well.
- In the sentence 'I find him intelligent', 'intelligent' is an object complement.
- The winery suggests a cheese that will complement their boldest red.
- The study utilised a quasi-experimental design with a complement of qualitative interviews.
- The novel's bleak setting and its protagonist's hopefulness exist in a state of tense complementarity.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: I COMPLETE something with a COMPLEMENT. Both words share the 'plet/ple' root meaning 'to fill'.
Conceptual Metaphor
WHOLENESS IS COMPLETION (a complement provides the missing piece to create a whole).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'комплимент' (похвала). Русское 'дополнение' хорошо передаёт грамматический смысл, но для существительного 'complement' в общем смысле также подходят 'дополнение', 'неотъемлемая часть', 'гармоничное дополнение'.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'complement' with 'compliment'. Incorrect: 'He gave her a lovely complement on her dress.' Correct: 'compliment'. Incorrect: 'The wine compliments the cheese.' Correct: 'complements'.
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'We consider her a genius', what is the grammatical function of 'a genius'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Complement' is about completing or harmonising (verb/noun). 'Compliment' is about praise or a flattering remark (verb/noun). Remember: 'I complete' with an 'e'.
A subject complement follows a linking verb (like 'be', 'seem', 'become') and describes or renames the subject. In 'She is a doctor', 'a doctor' is the subject complement.
Yes, in a business context (e.g., complementary drinks), it means provided free of charge, as something that completes or enhances the main offering.
It usually refers to the 'complement of an angle' – the amount that, when added to a given angle, equals 90° (a right angle).