Complementarity Meaning
/ˌkɒmpləmɛnˈtæɹɪti/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounThe state or characteristic of being complementary.
nounA semantic relationship between two words wherein negative use of one entails the affirmative of the other with no gradability; the relation of binary antonyms.
Sentence Examples
The complementarity of their skills made them a great team.
We need to recognize the complementarity between art and science.
The design highlights the complementarity of traditional and modern styles.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ of their skills made the team extremely effective and productive.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The principle of atomic ____ explains the complex structure of DNA molecules.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree English complementary Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-ts Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ts Latin -itāsder. Old French -itebor. Middle English -ite English -ity English complementarity From complementary + -ity.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
""Synergy is one of the most overused words in the English language, but there is a tremendous complementarity to these organizations.""
— 1987 April 2, Kenneth N. Gilpin, “2 Forecasting Firms to Merge”, in New York Times, retrieved 01 Apr 2014:
"For complementarity, there are entailments both from affirmative sentences to the corresponding negative sentences (which is what ordinary antonymy allows) and from negative sentences to the corresponding affirmative sentences. [...] That light is on entails That light is not off. That light is not on entails That light is off."
— 2005, Andrew John Merrison, Aileen Bloomer, Patrick Griffiths, Christopher J. Hall, Introducing Language in Use, London: Routledge, →ISBN, page 112:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ of their skills made the team extremely effective and productive.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The principle of atomic ____ explains the complex structure of DNA molecules.