Have you ever used the words complement and compliment in your speech (or writing)? “Complement” and “compliment” are classic confusables that look and sound similar but differ in meaning and origin. “Complement” comes from the Latin complementum (“something that fills up or completes”) and refers to things that complete or enhance each other: This sauce complements the dish perfectly. “Compliment,” from Latin complere via French, shifted in meaning to express praise or admiration: She gave me a lovely compliment about my presentation. A simple way to remember the difference is that a “compliment” is kind, while a “complement” completes.
Here are some examples:
Complement (to complete or enhance):
- This wine complements the flavor of the meal.
- Her skills complement his perfectly in the project.
- The soft music complements the relaxed atmosphere.
- The scarf complements her outfit beautifully.
Compliment (to praise):
- He complimented her on her excellent work.
- She gave me a compliment about my speech.
- They complimented the chef on the delicious food.
- I want to compliment you on your dedication.
In Turkish, the word complement is “tamamlayıcı”, and the word compliment is “iltifat”.
Here are side-by-side examples in English and Turkish:
- This sauce complements the dish perfectly. → Bu sos yemeği mükemmel şekilde tamamlar.
The chef deserves a compliment. → Şef bir iltifatı hak ediyor. - Her skills complement his. → Onun becerileri diğerininkini tamamlar.
People often compliment them. → İnsanlar sık sık onlara iltifat eder. - The color complements the design. → Renk tasarımı tamamlar.
She complimented my choice. → Seçimime iltifat etti. - The music complements the mood. → Müzik ortamı tamamlar.
He gave me a nice compliment. → Bana güzel bir iltifat etti.
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