complementary
Americanadjective
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acting as or forming a complement; completing
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forming a satisfactory or balanced whole
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forming a mathematical complement
sine and cosine are complementary functions
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maths logic (of a pair of sets, etc) mutually exclusive and exhaustive, each being the complement of the other
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(of genes) producing an effect in association with other genes
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involving or using the treatments and techniques of complementary medicine
Usage
What’s the difference between complementary and complimentary? Complementary is an adjective used to describe something that complements something else—goes along with it and serves to make it better or complete it (as in complementary colors). Complimentary is an adjective that can describe something intended to be a compliment—a comment that expresses praise or admiration of someone (as in a complimentary remark). It can also be used to mean that something is given for free, as in I hope we get complimentary snacks on this flight.Since the primary senses of both words are generally used in positive contexts, it can be easy to confuse them.The easiest way to remember the difference is that complementary often involves something that completes something else, and complete also starts with c-o-m-p-l-e. On the other hand, you can remember that complimentary is spelled with an i because compliments are something that I like to get (and give). Nice shirt, by the way.Here’s an example of complementary and complimentary used correctly in the same sentence.Example: Sometimes, when the chef overhears complimentary feedback about a dish, she sends out a complimentary bottle of wine—one that’s complementary to the rest of the meal, of course.Want to learn more? Read about the difference between compliment and complement.
Other Word Forms
- complementarily adverb
- complementariness noun
- uncomplementary adjective
Etymology
Origin of complementary
First recorded in 1590–1600; complement + -ary
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In fact, the books are better viewed as complementary rather than competitive.
The neural network is trained using two complementary diffraction images, one captured with a vertical polarizer and one without.
From Science Daily
This coordinated approach reflects elected officials’ determination to address anticompetitive practices while also pursuing complementary housing policies.
From Los Angeles Times
Over four seasons at Purdue, Smith has transformed from a complementary player whose job was to set up the Boilermakers’ big men to an All-American who will leave as one of college basketball’s all-time playmakers.
"The Hobby-Eberly is a pioneering telescope. And with new, complementary instruments coming online, we're entering a golden age for mapping the cosmos."
From Science Daily
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
