Complement

[noun kom-pluh-muh nt; verb kom-pluh-ment] /noun ˈkɒm plə mənt; verb ˈkɒm pləˌmɛnt/

noun
1.
something that completes or makes perfect:
A good wine is a complement to a good meal.
2.
the quantity or amount that completes anything:
We now have a full complement of packers.
3.
either of two parts or things needed to complete the whole; counterpart.
4.
full quantity or amount; complete allowance.
5.
the full number of officers and crew required on a ship.
6.
Grammar.

7.
Geometry. the quantity by which an angle or an arc falls short of 90° or a quarter of a circle.
Compare (def 4).
8.
Also called absolute complement. Mathematics. the set of all the elements of a universal set not included in a given set.
9.
Music. the interval that completes an octave when added to a given interval.
10.
Immunology.

11.
.
verb (used with object)
12.
to complete; form a complement to:
This belt complements the dress better than that one.
13.
Obsolete. to compliment.
verb (used without object)
14.
Obsolete. to compliment.
noun (ˈkɒmplɪmənt)
1.
a person or thing that completes something
2.
one of two parts that make up a whole or complete each other
3.
a complete amount, number, etc (often in the phrase full complement)
4.
the officers and crew needed to man a ship
5.
(grammar)

6.
(maths) the angle that when added to a specified angle produces a right angle
7.
(logic, maths) the class of all things, or of all members of a given universe of discourse, that are not members of a given set
8.
(music) the inverted form of an interval that, when added to the interval, completes the octave: the sixth is the complement of the third
9.
(immunol) a group of proteins in the blood serum that, when activated by antibodies, causes destruction of alien cells, such as bacteria
verb (ˈkɒmplɪˌmɛnt)
10.
(transitive) to add to, make complete, or form a complement to
n.

late 14c., “that which completes,” from Old French compliement “accomplishment, fulfillment” (14c., Modern French complément), from Latin complementum “that which fills up or completes,” from complere “fill up” (see complete (adj.)). Originally also having senses which were taken up c.1650-1725 by compliment.
v.

1610s, “exchange courtesies,” from complement (n.). Meaning “make complete” is from 1640s. Related: Complemented; complementing.

complement com·ple·ment (kŏm’plə-mənt)
n.
A group of proteins found in normal blood serum and plasma that are activated sequentially in a cascadelike mechanism that allows them to combine with antibodies and destroy pathogenic bacteria and other foreign cells.
complement
(kŏm’plə-mənt)

logic
The other value or values in the set of possible values.
See logical complement, bitwise complement, set complement.
(1995-01-24)