supplemental
Americanadjective
-
(of a pleading, an affidavit, etc.) added to furnish what is lacking or missing.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of supplemental
First recorded in 1595–1605; supplement + -al 1
Explanation
You can use the adjective supplemental to describe something extra. You could volunteer to donate your collection of markers and colored pencils to a local school that needs supplemental art supplies. Something that's supplemental is added when there's a lack or deficiency. You might feed the runt from a litter of puppies supplemental milk because he can't get enough from his mother. Teachers are famous for assigning supplemental reading to round out the information in a textbook. Supplemental comes from the Latin supplementum, "added to supply a deficiency."
Vocabulary lists containing supplemental
Mexican WhiteBoy
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Absolutely Almost
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Keeping Pace
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
So, more often now, it’s pets who get a guardian and a supplemental trust to provide funds for their ongoing care.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026
Mr. Burger’s writings on “attribution science,” a theory central to those cases, are cited as neutral scientific authority throughout CJP’s modules and have been assigned as supplemental reading to judges attending its trainings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
"And Pg and Fn infections worsen survival rates of untreated recurrent or metastatic oral cancer, even after surgery and risk-adjusted adjuvant, or supplemental, therapies."
From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026
Lawmakers did put money toward new cool beds in the last supplemental appropriations bill.
From Slate ● Jul. 31, 2026
Ordinarily, he was the strongest member of any group he climbed with, even though he never used supplemental oxygen.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
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.
