complementary

/ˌkɒmplɪˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi/

//ˌkɒmplɪˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"complementary" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“complementary” has 21 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #13,688. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#13,688
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
21
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Acting as a complement; making up a whole with something else.

Corpus desk

Index EN-complementary · complementary · English

complementary · rank #13,688 · 21 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #13,688
  • LEN-MEGA 13 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 21 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH commute

Nearest frequency peer: commute (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “complementary”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “complementary” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

complementary vs complimentary
92% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for complementary
PropertyValue
Headwordcomplementary
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌkɒmplɪˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi/
Letters13
Frequency rank#13,688
Misspellings tracked21
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “complementary”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).complementarylands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “commute” (#13,687), “concussion” (#13,689), “clicked” (#13,686). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “complementary” is #13,688. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 21 spelling variants around complementary (IPA /ˌkɒmplɪˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #13,688 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 21 likely wrong-spelling variants for complementary, with forms such as "ccomplementary", "cmoplementary", and "comlpementary". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "complimentary", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From complement + -ary. Piecewise doublet of complimentary. The correct English form is complementary, spelled C-O-M-P-L-E-M-E-N-T-A-R-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Acting as a complement; making up a whole with something else.
  2. 2
    Of the specific pairings of the bases in DNA and RNA.
  3. 3
    Pertaining to pairs of properties in quantum mechanics that are inversely related to each other, such as speed and position, or energy and time. (See also Heisenberg uncertainty principle.)

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how complementary appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. I'll provide you with some complementary notes to help you study.
  2. The two business partners had complementary abilities: one had excellent people skills, while the other had a head for figures.

Etymology

From complement + -ary. Piecewise doublet of complimentary.

This word in other languages

complementario(Español)complémentaire(Français)komplementär(Deutsch)complementar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccomplementary
  • cmoplementary
  • comlpementary
  • commplementary
  • compelmentary
  • compleemntary
  • complemenatry
  • complemenntary
  • complementarry
  • complementaryy
  • complementayr
  • complementray
  • complementtary
  • complemetnary
  • complemmentary
  • complemnetary
  • compllementary
  • complmeentary
  • compplementary
  • copmlementary
  • ocmplementary

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of complementary - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ccomplementary1cmoplementary2comlpementary2commplementary1compelmentary2compleemntary2complemenatry2complemenntary1
Edit distance from "complementary"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "complementary"?
"complementary" is spelled C-O-M-P-L-E-M-E-N-T-A-R-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌkɒmplɪˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi/.
What does "complementary" mean?
As an adjective, "complementary" means: Acting as a complement; making up a whole with something else.
What words are commonly confused with "complementary"?
"complementary" is commonly confused with "complimentary". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "complementary"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "complementary" is /ˌkɒmplɪˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "complementary"?
From complement + -ary. Piecewise doublet of complimentary. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "complementary", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 13 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

interrogation#13,738multinational#13,765schizophrenia#13,806heartbreaking#13,528

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (21 here; floor ≥5).

comprehension21 variantsknowledgeable21 variantsinterestingly21 variantssystematically21 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list