supplementary
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of supplementary
First recorded in 1660–70; supplement + -ary
Explanation
Supplementary is a little something extra to fill in a gap, like when your teacher suggests supplementary reading material that you may or may not get around to checking out. Supplementary can be an important part of something or just extra support. The word supplement comes from the Latin supplementum for "something added to fix a deficiency" and the suffix -ary means "connected with." Put them together and you have something connected with filling in. The supplementary support of digging a moat around your sand castle might save it from a wave, but that supplementary reading on your syllabus isn't required (although it might save your grade).
Vocabulary lists containing supplementary
The Giver
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The SAT: Language of the Test, List 6
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The New SAT: The Language of the Test
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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.
Last week Takaichi asked the government to prepare a supplementary budget for fuel subsidies, something she previously insisted wasn’t necessary.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
They didn’t consult project websites or other supplementary materials.
From Slate • May 14, 2026
"Our immediate priority is to enable members of the electorate affected by the issue with the supplementary voter pack print run to exercise their democratic right."
From BBC • May 6, 2026
Puppetry, it turned out, moved from a supplementary expertise to Ortiz’s prime artistic strength.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026
Have the students who failed the exam take the supplementary.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
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.
