Word: complement Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From Middle English complement, from Latin complēmentum (“that which fills up or completes”), from compleō (“to fill up; to complete”) (English complete). Doublet of compliment. The verb is from the noun. Pronunciation: /ˈkɒmpləmənt/, /ˈkɑmpləmənt/ 1. The totality, the full amount or number which completes something. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Queequeg sought a passage to Christian lands. But the ship, having her full complement of seamen, spurned his suit; and not all the King his father's influence could prevail. Example: Some 11 members of Somerton council's complement of 15 stepped down on Tuesday. 2. The whole working force of a vessel. Labels: countable, uncountable 3. An angle which, together with a given angle, makes a right angle. Labels: countable, uncountable 4. Something which completes, something which combines with something else to make up a complete whole; loosely, something perceived to be a harmonious or desirable partner or addition. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: History is the complement of poetry. Example: It would be too much to imagine that improving stations will alone create a much needed new image in the public eye; a smartly turned out station staff is a very necessary complement to a smart station. 5. A word or group of words that completes a grammatical construction in the predicate and that describes or is identified with the subject or object. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Why has our grammar broken down at this point? It is not difficult to see why. For, we have failed to make any provision for the fact that only some Verbs in English (i.e. Verbs like those italicized in (5) (a), traditionally called Transitive Verbs) subcategorize ( = ‘takeʼ) an immediately following NP Complement, whereas others (such as those italicised in (5) (b), traditionally referred to as Intransitive Verbs) do not. 6. A phonetic complement is a graphic element that modifies another, such as (in Linear B script) a small syllabogram that is attached to a logogram as an abbreviation of its reading (as opposed to an adjunct that abbreviates an adjective that modifies that logogram). Labels: countable, uncountable 7. An interval which, together with the given interval, makes an octave. Labels: countable, uncountable 8. The color which, when mixed with the given color, gives black (for mixing pigments) or white (for mixing light). Labels: countable, uncountable Example: The complement of blue is orange. 9. Given two sets, the set containing one set's elements that are not members of the other set (whether a relative complement or an absolute complement). Labels: countable, uncountable Example: The complement of the odd numbers is the even numbers, relative to the natural numbers. 10. One of several blood proteins that work with antibodies during an immune response. Labels: countable, uncountable 11. An expression related to some other expression such that it is true under the same conditions that make other false, and vice versa. Labels: countable, uncountable 12. A voltage level with the opposite logical sense to the given one. Labels: countable, uncountable 13. A bit with the opposite value to the given one; the logical complement of a number. Labels: countable, uncountable 14. The diminished radix complement of a number; the nines' complement of a decimal number; the ones' complement of a binary number. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: The complement of 01100101#95;2 is 10011010#95;2. 15. The radix complement of a number; the two's complement of a binary number. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: The complement of 01100101#95;2 is 10011011#95;2. 16. The numeric complement of a number. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: The complement of −123 is 123. 17. A nucleotide sequence in which each base is replaced by the complementary base of the given sequence: adenine (A) by thymine (T) or uracil (U), cytosine (C) by guanine (G), and vice versa. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: A DNA molecule is formed from two strands, each of which is the complement of the other. 18. Synonym of alexin. Labels: countable, uncountable 19. Abbreviation of complementary good. Labels: abbreviation, alt-of, countable, uncountable 20. Something (or someone) that completes; the consummation. Labels: archaic, countable, uncountable Example: perform all those works of mercy, which Clemens Alexandrinus calls amoris et amicitiæ impletionem et extentionem, the extent and complement of love[…]. 21. The act of completing something, or the fact of being complete; completion, completeness, fulfilment. Labels: countable, obsolete, uncountable Example: And both encreast the prayse of woman kynde, / And both encreast her beautie excellent: / So all did make in her a perfect complement. 22. Something which completes one's equipment, dress etc.; an accessory. Labels: countable, obsolete, uncountable Example: A doleful case desires a doleful song, Without vain art or curious complements. Example: Garnish'd and deck'd in modest complement,