complementary

Everyday

1. Going well together and making each other better or complete. tree →
2. (maths) Complementary angles add up to 90 degrees. tree →
3. (art) Complementary colours are opposite each other on the colour wheel, like red and green. tree →
4. Complementary medicine is treatment used alongside normal medicine. tree →

In the lessons

In maths lessons, if one angle is 30°, its complementary angle is 60°. In art, complementary colours make each other stand out. In everyday life, two friends with complementary skills make a good team.

Examples

• Angles of 40° and 50° are complementary. tree →
• Blue and orange are complementary colours. tree →
• Their skills are complementary: one draws, one writes. tree →
• Find the complementary angle to 25°. tree →
• Complementary colours look bright side by side. tree →
• Salt and pepper are complementary flavours. tree →

Note

Trap: «complementary» (completing) is different from «complimentary» (praising, or free of charge). In maths, complementary angles add to 90°; supplementary angles add to 180°.