Complementary

How to spell complementary

13 letters · 4 syllables

How to pronounce complementary

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does complementary mean?

1. adjectiveCombining well with something so that each part completes or balances the other.
2. adjectiveDescribing therapies used alongside conventional medical treatment rather than instead of it.

Complementary in a sentence

• The two managers have complementary skills that strengthen the whole team.

• The clinic offers complementary therapies such as acupuncture beside its standard care.

• Red and green sit opposite each other as complementary colours on the wheel.

• Many patients combine complementary treatments with their prescribed medication.

Where does complementary come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word traces back to the Latin verb complere, meaning 'to fill up' or 'to complete', which combined the prefix com- (an intensifying 'together') with plere, 'to fill'. From complere came the noun complementum, 'that which fills up or completes', and English adopted 'complement' in the late 1300s for something that finishes or rounds off a whole. The adjective 'complementary' grew from that noun, describing two things that complete each other, and it appears in geometry, colour theory, and everyday speech alike. The crucial spelling trap is the second 'e': it belongs to 'complement', the idea of completing, which keeps the same 'ple' you can see in 'complete' and 'plenty'. Its near twin 'complimentary' instead comes from 'compliment', a flattering remark, so the 'i' there carries the sense of praise rather than completion.

How the word is built

• com- (together)
• ple (from plere: to fill)
• -ment (noun-forming)
• -ary (adjective suffix)

Words that sound like complementary

They sound the same but mean different things, so the meaning decides which spelling to write.

• complimentary: Expressing praise, approval, or admiration.