Words / B2

kompl-i-MENT-uh-ree/ˌkɒmplɪˈmentəri/

Complementary means combining well so that each supplies what the other lacks: complementary sources; complementary colours. Complimentary (next) means free or praising — a classic homophone trap. The two sources are complementary, not copies. Mix-up: complimentary / complete. Do not write complementary for a free ticket.

Meaning

Combining well with something else so that each supplies what the other lacks.

Examples

• “The two sources are complementary, not copies, the marker wrote.”
• “Complementary colours on the colour wheel featured in the art brief, which is the design sense.”

Good to know

complementary + noun; complementary colours / skills. Trap: complimentary (free / praise). Art, methods, and essays. Completing each other, not a freebie.

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