complementary

com·ple·men·ta·ry

adjective \ˌkäm-plə-ˈmen-t(ə-)rē\

Definition of COMPLEMENTARY

1

: relating to or constituting one of a pair of contrasting colors that produce a neutral color when combined in suitable proportions

2

: serving to fill out or complete

3

: mutually supplying each other's lack

4

: being complements of each other (see ¹complement) <complementary acute angles>

5

: characterized by the capacity for precise pairing of purine and pyrimidine bases between strands of DNA and sometimes RNA such that the structure of one strand determines the other

— com·ple·men·ta·ri·ly \-ˈmen-t(ə-)rə-lē, -(ˌ)men-ˈter-ə-lē, -ˈta-rə-\ adverb

— com·ple·men·ta·ri·ness \-ˈmen-t(ə-)rē-nəs\ noun

— complementary noun

Examples of COMPLEMENTARY

1. She wore a new outfit with a complementary scarf.
2. My spouse and I have complementary goals.
3. … hot and sour soup encapsulates the Taoist principle central to Chinese culture: yin and yang, the notion of balancing the universe's opposing yet complementary forces. —Rebecca Hays, Cook's Illustrated, January & February 2006
4. Once Austin got used to what he had on, Jerry was going to talk him into a neck scarf of complementary colors and a cream pullover. —Alice Munro, Atlantic, January 1990
5. Vann and Ellsberg were the odd couple, difficult men from different worlds satisfying complementary needs in each other. —Neil Sheehan, A Bright Shining Lie, 1988
6. … it was becoming more and more clear to him that Miss Bart herself possessed precisely the complementary qualities needed to round off his social personality. —Edith Wharton, The House of Mirth, 1905

Origin of COMPLEMENTARY

(see ¹complement)

First Known Use: 1829

Related to COMPLEMENTARY

Synonyms

correlative, reciprocal, supplemental, supplementary

Antonyms

noncomplementary, nonreciprocal

Related Words

cooperative, mutual, symbiotic; collective, combined, common, communal, conjoint, joint, shared, united

Rhymes with COMPLEMENTARY

documentary, double entry, elementary, mockumentary, rudimentary, sedimentary, single entry, supplementary, testamentary

com·ple·men·ta·ry

adjective \ˌkäm-plə-ˈment-ə-rē, -ˈmen-trē\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of COMPLEMENTARY

1

: relating to or constituting one of a pair of contrasting colors that produce a neutral color when combined in suitable proportions

2

: characterized by molecular complementarity; especially : characterized by the capacity for precise pairing of purine and pyrimidine bases between strands of DNA and sometimes RNA such that the structure of one strand determines the other

—com·ple·men·ta·ri·ly \-ˈmen-trə-lē, -(ˌ)men-ˈter-ə-lē, -ˈment-ə-rə-lē\ (audio pronunciation) adverb

—com·ple·men·ta·ri·ness \-ˈment-ə-rē-nəs, -ˈmen-trē-\ (audio pronunciation) noun