complementation
kom-pluh-men-TAY-shuhn
/ˌkɒm.plɪ.mɛnˈteɪ.ʃən/
The act or process of completing something; in linguistics, the structural relationship between a head word and its complement clause.
A specialized technical term used chiefly in syntax, genetics, and formal logic.
The story behind the word. Coined in the 19th century by grammarians and logicians seeking a formal noun to denote the systemic process of structural fulfillment within grammatical clauses and biological systems.
Word relationships
- completion: 'Completion' is the general act of finishing, whereas 'complementation' is technical structural completion.
Commonly confused with
- compliment: 'Complementation' is a technical term for grammatical or biological completion, utterly unrelated to praise.
Word family
- complement (noun/verb): That which completes.
- complementary (adjective): Forming a complete whole.
Collocations
- verb complementation
- complementation test
- pattern of complementation
Example sentences
- "The study of verb complementation reveals how different dialects construct dependent clauses following mental-state verbs." Linguistic analysis
- "Genetic complementation testing confirmed that the two mutant strains contained mutations on entirely different genes." Genetics research
Memory hook
Complementation = Complement + Nation of Grammar rules. Complementation is technical grammar completion.
When not to use
Do not use in casual everyday speech when simple addition or praise is meant.
Fun facts
- In genetics, a 'complementation test' determines whether two mutations causing the same phenotype are in the same gene or different genes.
Related words
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