Definitions for: Complement


[n] something added to complete or make perfect; "a fine wine is a perfect complement to the dinner"
[n] either of two parts that mutually complete each other
[n] a word or phrase used to complete a grammatical construction
[n] number needed to make up whole force; "a full complement of workers"
[n] a complete number or quantity; "a full complement"
[n] one of a series of enzymes in the blood serum that are part of the immune response
[v] make complete or perfect; supply what is wanting or form the complement to; "I need some pepper to complement the sweet touch in the soup"



Webster (1913) Definition: Com"ple*ment, n. [L. complementun: cf. F.
compl['e]ment. See Complete, v. t., and cf. Compliment.]
1. That which fills up or completes; the quantity or number
required to fill a thing or make it complete.

2. That which is required to supply a deficiency, or to
complete a symmetrical whole.

History is the complement of poetry. --Sir J.
Stephen.

3. Full quantity, number, or amount; a complete set;
completeness.

To exceed his complement and number appointed him
which was one hundred and twenty persons. --Hakluyt.

4. (Math.) A second quantity added to a given quantity to
make it equal to a third given quantity.

5. Something added for ornamentation; an accessory. [Obs.]

Without vain art or curious complements. --Spenser.

6. (Naut.) The whole working force of a vessel.

7. (Mus.) The interval wanting to complete the octave; -- the
fourth is the complement of the fifth, the sixth of the
third.

8. A compliment. [Obs.] --Shak.

Arithmetical compliment of a logarithm. See under
Logarithm.

Arithmetical complement of a number (Math.), the difference
between that number and the next higher power of 10; as, 4
is the complement of 6, and 16 of 84.

Complement of an arc or angle (Geom.), the difference
between that arc or angle and 90[deg].

Complement of a parallelogram. (Math.) See Gnomon.

In her complement (Her.), said of the moon when represented
as full.


Com"ple*ment, v. t.
1. To supply a lack; to supplement. [R.]

2. To compliment. [Obs.] --Jer. Taylor.

Synonyms: full complement

See Also: balance, company, construction, count, counterpart, enzyme, equilibrate, equilibrise, equilibrize, expression, grammatical construction, hands, immune reaction, immune response, immunologic response, increase, increment, manpower, men, opposite number, ship's company, vis-a-vis, work force, workforce

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