a. and sb. [f. COMPLEMENT sb. + -ARY: cf. mod. F. complementaire.]

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  A.  adj.

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  1.  Forming a complement, completing, perfecting.

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  Complementary bone: an accessory bone in the lower jaw of reptiles and birds. Complementary cells, tissue: cells or tissue of plants not distinguished by a special term. (Syd. Soc. Lex.)

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1836.  Todd, Cycl. Anat., I. 141/1. The muscular system … finally, provided with a complementary skeleton or framework by means of which it acts to the best advantage.

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1860.  Westcott, Introd. Study Gosp., vii. (ed. 5), 368. The ‘Gospel of St. Paul’ is … the complementary history to that of St. Matthew.

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1877.  Sparrow, Serm., xxii. 300. The latter complementary and completing of the former.

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1884.  Bower & Scott, De Bary’s Phaner., 561. The elements termed by Stahl the complementary cells of the lenticel.

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  b.  Of two (or more) things: Mutually complementing or completing each other’s deficiencies.

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1860.  Westcott, Introd. Study Gosp., v. (ed. 5), 284. Histories … not contradictory but complementary.

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1882.  J. Hawthorne, Fortune’s Fool, I. xxvii. A united and mutually complementary pair.

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  c.  Complementary angles: angles that together make up a right angle. Complementary colors (hues, etc.): colors that, in combination, produce white or colorless light.

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1829.  Nat. Philos., I. Optics, xvii. 47. (Useful Knowl. Soc.). The accidental colours have also been called complementary colours.

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1831.  Brewster, Optics, xii. 103. The colour transmitted is always complementary to the one reflected, or which, when mixed with it, would make white light.

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1873.  trans. Helmholtz’ Pop. Lect., 256. The after-image accordingly appears of a bluish green, the complementary colour to red.

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  † 2.  Ceremonious: = COMPLEMENTAL 4. Obs.

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1628.  Earle, Microcosm., liv. (Arb.), 76. Whose entertainments to greater men are respectfull, not complementary.

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1657.  S. W., Schism Dispach’t, 372. Nothing but a dry complementary precedency to walk, stand, or speak first.

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  B.  sb. † 1. A master of accomplishments. Obs.

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1599.  B. Jonson, Cynthia’s Rev., V. ii. Amo. Is he a master? Cri. Confirmed under the hands of the most skilful and cunning complementaries alive.

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  2.  Short for ‘complementary color.’

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c. 1865.  J. Wylde, in Circ. Sc., I. 83/2. Their complementaries come in view on the analyser being moved.

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  Hence Complementariness, complementary quality or state.

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1881.  Le Conte, Sight, 61. This … seems a probable cause of complementariness.

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