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.
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, adjectiveWords nearby complementary
Example sentences from the Web for complementary
British Dictionary definitions for complementary
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