Its etymological ties to courtesy are evident in its modern use, where as a noun it most often refers to a remark that says something good about someone or something, and as a verb it communicates the expression of such a remark. We compliment someone on something they've done—"What a beautiful drawing! And that's really the crux of it: complement is about completing, and compliment is about courtesy especially in the form of admiration, esteem, or approval.
How neat and tidy it all is! How this pair seems to challenge that "wily creature" characterization of the English language! Except, um, we've left something out. We do hope it won't be too devastating. Here goes: the verb complement has an obsolete meaning synonymous with compliment , and another obsolete meaning of "to exchange formal courtesies. In summary: If one thing compl e ments with an "e" another, it compl e tes that thing e.
Complement comes from the Latin word for complete. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! Finally , at last , lastly or in the end? First , firstly or at first? Fit or suit? Following or the following? For or since? Forget or leave?
Full or filled? Fun or funny? Get or go? Grateful or thankful? Hear or listen to? High or tall? Historic or historical? House or home? How is …? If or when? If or whether? Ill or sick? Imply or infer? In the way or on the way? Late or lately? Lay or lie? Lend or borrow? Less or fewer? Look at , see or watch? Low or short? Man , mankind or people? Maybe or may be? Maybe or perhaps? Nearest or next? Never or not … ever? Nice or sympathetic? No doubt or without doubt? No or not? Nowadays , these days or today?
Open or opened? Opportunity or possibility? Opposite or in front of? Other , others , the other or another? Out or out of? Permit or permission? Person , persons or people? Pick or pick up? Play or game? Politics , political , politician or policy? Price or prize? Principal or principle? Quiet or quite? Raise or rise? Remember or remind? Right or rightly? Rob or steal? Say or tell? So that or in order that? Sometimes or sometime? Sound or noise?
Speak or talk? Such or so? Towards or toward? Wait or wait for? Wake , wake up or awaken? Worth or worthwhile? Noun phrases: dependent words Noun phrases: order Noun phrases: uses Noun phrases: noun phrases and verbs Noun phrases: two noun phrases together. Pronouns: possessive my , mine , your , yours , etc.
Pronouns: reflexive myself , themselves , etc. Pronouns: indefinite - body , - one , - thing , - where Pronouns: one , you , we , they Relative pronouns Questions: interrogative pronouns what , who Someone , somebody , something , somewhere That.
A complement is something that makes up a satisfying whole with something else. Those shiny red shoes you just bought complement your shiny red purse. Continue reading A compliment is an expression of respect or admiration, like, "You're such a good writer," or "You know so many words! Here are some things that go well together: Even as teenagers, they finished each other's sentences, complementing and encouraging the other.
Golf Digest In Ms. Scientific American To compliment , with an i , is to offer praise to or admiration. Here are more: "I lived on people's compliments , kind words," she says. Print Definition:. More Commonly Confused Words.
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