Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “complement” come from?

Complement derives from Latin complementum, formed from con- meaning "together" and -mentum, a suffix creating nouns from verbs.

complement (English): Something that completes; the consummation; The...

Definitions

  1. Something that completes; the consummation; The...

Ancestry of “complement”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latincomplementumcomplement
2Latincompleō—
3Latincōn-—
4Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
5Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
6Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
7Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
8Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
9Middle Englishkyt—
10Germankitt—
11Old High Germankuti—
12Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
13Proto-Germanickweduzresin
14Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
15Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “complement”

  • complementary
  • complementarity
  • complementizer
  • complemental
  • complementarily
  • complementarian
  • complementariness
  • noncomplementary
  • hypocomplementemia
  • complementarianism
  • hypocomplementemic
  • anticomplementary
  • orthocomplement
  • hypercomplementemia
  • complementize
  • pseudo-complement
  • complementology
  • complementologist
  • coversed sine
  • complementalness
  • complementization
  • compstatin
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →