complement
What completes something
Complement is easy to confuse with its homonym compliment, but their meanings don’t overlap.
A complement is a part or addition to something that makes it complete.
A full complement is the whole number or amount that is needed.
In grammar, complement is a word that completes a grammatical construction.
In ready to go, “to go” is the infinitive complement of “ready.”
Game between opponents
- pairTwo matching things
- counterpartCorresponding person or thing
- companionOne who keeps company
- partnerOne who shares activity
mate · accessory · coordinate · ensemble · tandem · duo · coupling · combination
Arrange in position
- unionJoining into one
- intersectionPoint where paths meet
- subsetCollection within collection
- cardinalitySize of a set
difference · Venn diagram · element · membership · disjoint
Provision in agreement
- subjectMatter under discussion
- objectTangible entity or aim
- predicateSentence's non-subject portion
- infinitiveUnconjugated verb form
gerund · subordination · copula · argument · valency · subcategorization · that-clause · raising
Steadiness or amount owed
- harmonyAgreement or musical blend
- equilibriumState of balance
- symmetryInvariance under transformation
- proportionComparative relation of parts
offset · counterbalance · equipoise · yin and yang · reciprocity · correspondence · alignment · compatibility
Regional speech pattern
- enhancementIncrease in quality
- additionJoining quantities mathematically
- supplementSomething added to complete
- garnishDecorative food topping
side dish · condiment · wine pairing · finishing · embellishment · adornment · trimming · flourish
State of achieved purpose
- wholenessComplete, undivided state
- fullnessState of being complete
- totalityComplete aggregate amount
- entiretyThe whole of something
rounding out · finishing touch · perfection · consummation · culmination · full set · quota · full strength
Working team aboard
- staffOrganization's workers collectively
- personnelWorkers at an organization
- rosterList of members
- headcountTotal of individuals present
manning · ship's company · workforce · contingent · detachment · squadron
Reverse or contrary thing
- color wheelCircular hue organization chart
- contrastNotable difference between things
- afterimageLingering visual impression
- red-greenTwo-hue vision deficiency
Geometric measure of rotation
- degreesUnits of measurement
- right angleExactly ninety degrees
- supplementaryServing to complete
- perpendicularAt right angles
ninety degrees · trigonometry · sine · cosine · arc
match
Game between opponents
- pairTwo matching things
- counterpartCorresponding person or thing
- companionOne who keeps company
partner · mate · accessory · coordinate · ensemble · tandem · duo · coupling · combination · fellow
set
Arrange in position
- unionJoining into one
- intersectionPoint where paths meet
- subsetCollection within collection
cardinality · difference · Venn diagram · element · membership · disjoint
clause
Provision in agreement
infinitive · gerund · subordination · copula · argument · valency · subcategorization · that-clause · raising · control
balance
Steadiness or amount owed
- harmonyAgreement or musical blend
- equilibriumState of balance
- symmetryInvariance under transformation
proportion · offset · counterbalance · equipoise · yin and yang · reciprocity · correspondence · alignment · compatibility · congruence
accent
Regional speech pattern
- enhancementIncrease in quality
- additionJoining quantities mathematically
- supplementSomething added to complete
garnish · side dish · condiment · wine pairing · finishing · embellishment · adornment · trimming · flourish · sauce
fulfillment
State of achieved purpose
entirety · rounding out · finishing touch · perfection · consummation · culmination · full set · quota · full strength · aggregate
crew
Working team aboard
headcount · manning · ship's company · workforce · contingent · detachment · squadron
opposite
Reverse or contrary thing
- color wheelCircular hue organization chart
- contrastNotable difference between things
- afterimageLingering visual impression
angle
Geometric measure of rotation
- degreesUnits of measurement
- right angleExactly ninety degrees
- supplementaryServing to complete
ninety degrees · perpendicular · trigonometry · sine · cosine · arc
- compatibilitycompatible, incompatible, match, mismatch, fit
- Chomsky linguisticsuniversal grammar, merge, move, minimalist program, Noam Chomsky
- lattice theorymeet, join, Boolean algebra
- syntax theoriesuniversal grammar, minimalist program, CCG, context-free grammar, merge
- oppositesopposite, opposites, antonym, antonyms, inverse
- probabilityprobability, chance, random, randomness, odds
complementclash
Violent disagreement or collision
conflict · contradict · jar · discord · mismatch
complementdeficit
Amount still owed
deficiency · shortage · lack · insufficiency · shortfall
- complementary colorOpposite on color wheel
- complementary angleAngle needing another for ninety
- complementary coloursOpposing hues on wheel
- complementary medicineUnconventional treatments supplementing mainstream care
- complement proteinsPlasma pathogen-destruction system
- complementary therapiesNon-standard healing practices
complement proteins, complementary, complemented, complements, complementing, complementarity