supplemental

American  

[suhp-luh-men-tl] / ˌsʌp ləˈmɛn tl /

adjective

1. supplementary.

2. nonscheduled.

3. (of a pleading, an affidavit, etc.) added to furnish what is lacking or missing.

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noun

1. anything that is supplemental.

   supplementals attached to the bill in committee.

Other Word Forms

• nonsupplemental adjective
• nonsupplementally adverb
• presupplemental adjective
• supplementally adverb
• unsupplemental adjective

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."

Example Sentences

He added that A-Street focuses on core education instruction, considered less susceptible to budget cuts than supplemental services intended to fill gaps or enhance learning.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

This supplemental $200 billion would increase fiscal year 2026 defense spending to approximately $1.2 trillion.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

Almost in unison, my two dentists advised against that because Medicare supplemental plans can be so limited.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 28, 2026

“Millions of Americans choose to earn supplemental income on DoorDash because of the unique flexibility it provides. This rule respects that choice,” said Max Rettig, vice president of global public policy at DoorDash.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 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