complementary

[ kom-pluh-men-tuh-ree, -tree ]
/ ˌkɒm pləˈmɛn tə ri, -tri /

adjective

forming a complement; completing.
complementing each other.

noun, plural com·ple·men·ta·ries.

complementary color(def 1).

Origin of complementary

First recorded in 1590–1600; complement + -ary

OTHER WORDS FROM complementary

com·ple·men·ta·ri·ness, noun un·com·ple·men·ta·ry, adjective

Words nearby complementary

complement-fixing antibody, complemental, complemental air, complementarity, complementarity principle, complementary, complementary air, complementary angle, complementary angles, complementary base, complementary cells

Example sentences from the Web for complementaries

British Dictionary definitions for complementaries

complementary

complemental

/ (ˌkɒmplɪˈmɛntərɪ, -trɪ) /

adjective

acting as or forming a complement; completing
forming a satisfactory or balanced whole
forming a mathematical complement sine and cosine are complementary functions
maths logic (of a pair of sets, etc) mutually exclusive and exhaustive, each being the complement of the other
(of genes) producing an effect in association with other genes
involving or using the treatments and techniques of complementary medicine

Derived forms of complementary

complementarily or complementally, adverb complementariness, noun