complement

/ˈkɒmplɪmənt/

something that completes or enhances something else

The red wine was a perfect complement to the steak.

The wine enhanced the flavor of the steak, making it taste even better.

general

something that completes or enhances something else

Her smile was a complement to her elegant dress.

Her smile added to the overall beauty of her appearance.

Can be used to describe things that work well together or enhance each other.

grammar

a grammatical element that provides additional information about the subject or object

In the sentence 'I gave the book to the student,' 'the student' is the indirect object complement.

The phrase 'the student' provides additional information about who received the book.

In linguistics, a complement is a word or phrase that completes the meaning of a verb, noun, or adjective.

Collocations

complement each otherto work well together or enhance each othera perfect complementsomething that fits or enhances something else perfectly

serving to complete or enhance

Remember that 'complement' is about completing or enhancing, while 'compliment' is about praise.

Use 'complement' when referring to something that completes or enhances another thing.

From Latin 'complementum,' meaning 'that which fills up or completes,' from 'complere' meaning 'to fill up.'

The word 'complement' is often confused with 'compliment,' which means praise. 'Complement' refers to something that completes or enhances.

com-

together

prefix

-ple-

fill

root

-ment

action or result

suffix

English Dictionary