Editly Etymology: complement vs compliment

The experts at Editly have mastered commonly confused words over the course of their careers as editors, proofreaders, and humanizers. In Editly Etymology, they tap into their own experience to offer a closer look into the horrifying beauty of the English language. This installment investigates one of the most understandably confused word pairs in English: complement vs compliment.

Complement Definition

As a verb, complement means to complete or bring to perfection.

Compliment Definition

As a verb, compliment means to praise.

Did you catch that? Just to make sure, let’s ask AI to help us generate a visual representation of each of the words.

Complement = to complete.

The dark complements the light, the pen complements the notebook, and the coffee complements a raging caffeine addiction.

Compliment = to praise.

Feel free to try out AI-generated compliments such as “Hist!” and “Well Dob!” at home, as well as one that I now use daily with my loved ones, “Coowst You.”

Complement Root

Late Middle English, from Latin.

Compliment Root

Mid-17th century, from Old French, from Italian, from Latin.

Who is to Blame for this Confusion?

While Latin is the original villain here, Italian and subsequently French share the blame for muddying up the waters.

AI Text on Complement

The word “complement” has a multifaceted history that reflects its varied uses in English, ranging from grammar and mathematics to everyday language. Here’s an exploration of its etymology and development:

1. Latin Origins: The origin of “complement” is the Latin verb “complēre,” meaning “to fill up” or “to complete.” This verb is formed from “com-” (together) + “plēre” (to fill). The notion embedded in this root is that of completing something or making it whole.
2. Entry into English via French: “Complement” entered English in the late Middle English period, coming from the Old French “complement,” which retained the Latin sense of completion or the process of completing something.
3. Mathematical and Grammatical Use: In the 16th century, “complement” began to be used in specific technical contexts:

• Mathematics: It referred to the angle which, when added to a given angle, results in a right angle (90 degrees). This use emphasizes the concept of one element completing another to achieve a whole.
• Grammar: It was used to describe words or phrases that complete the meaning of a predicate, another reflection of its Latin roots.

4. General Usage in English: Over time, “complement” evolved to describe anything that enhances, completes, or goes well with something else. This general sense is widely used in various contexts, such as describing colors that enhance each other in visual arts or features that improve a product in business and design.

5. Modern Connotations: Today, “complement” maintains its broad usage across many fields:

• In everyday language, it often refers to things that work well together or enhance each other’s qualities.
• In professional and technical domains, it continues to hold specific meanings related to completing or rounding out a set or system.

The history of “complement” shows how a word can maintain its core semantic properties derived from Latin while expanding in application across different fields, illustrating the dynamic nature of language as it adapts to new contexts and ideas. (322 words)

Humanization of AI Text on Complement

“Complement” has a multifaceted history that reflects its varied specialized and general uses in English. Here’s an exploration of its etymology:

1. Latin Origins: “Complement” derives from the Latin verb “complēre,” meaning “to fill up” or “to complete” and formed from “com-” (together) + “plēre” (to fill).
2. Entry into English via French: “Complement” entered English in the late Middle English period, coming from the Old French “complement,” which retained the Latin sense of completion.
3. Mathematical and Grammatical Use: In the 16th century, “complement” began to appear in specific technical contexts:

• Mathematics: It referred to the angle which, when added to a given angle, results in a right angle (90 degrees)
• Grammar: It described words or phrases that complete the meaning of a predicate.

4. General Usage in English: Over time, “complement” evolved to describe, in various contexts, anything that enhances, completes, or goes well with something else.

5. Modern Connotations: “Complement” maintains its broad usage across many fields:

• In everyday language, it often refers to things that work well together or enhance each other’s qualities.
• In professional and technical domains, it holds specific meanings related to completing or rounding out a set or system.

The history of “complement” shows how a word can maintain its core semantic properties, while expanding in application across different fields. (217 words)

Result of Changing the AI Text to Human Text

Without losing any of the text’s core meaning, humanization of the text has reduced its length from 322 to 217 words — or by more than 32 percent. This decrease has made the content clearer and more straightforward, primarily due to the elimination of repetition.

AI Text on Compliment

The word “compliment” has a distinct etymology and usage compared to “complement,” despite their similar spellings and sounds. Here’s how “compliment” evolved:

1. Italian and Spanish Origins: “Compliment” derives from the Italian word “complimento” and the Spanish “cumplimiento,” both meaning a courteous greeting or an expression of respect and admiration. These terms, in turn, come from the verb forms “complire” in Italian and “cumplir” in Spanish, meaning to complete or fulfill duties or formalities.
2. Influence of French: The word entered the English language in the early 17th century through French, where it was spelled “compliment” and had similar meanings related to acts of civility, politeness, or respect. The French form is derived from the Italian and Spanish terms, emphasizing the fulfillment of social expectations through polite behavior.
3. Early Usage in English: Initially, “compliment” in English had a broader sense of formal or ceremonial acts beyond mere praise, including elaborate courtesies and expressions of high respect in diplomatic and social interactions.
4. Evolution of Meaning: Over time, the meaning of “compliment” in English narrowed to focus more specifically on expressions of praise, admiration, or flattery. This shift reflected changes in social customs and communication styles, where overt expressions of respect became more associated with personal qualities or achievements rather than formal obligations.
5. Modern Usage: Today, a “compliment” is typically a polite expression of praise or admiration directed at someone. It is often used to acknowledge someone’s good qualities, achievements, or appearances. The term can also imply politeness and respect in interpersonal interactions.

The history of “compliment” illustrates the influence of cultural exchange on language, showing how a term can evolve from signifying formal acts of courtesy to more informal expressions of admiration and praise, adapting to changes in social norms and behaviors. (294 words)

Humanization of AI Text on Compliment

“Compliment” has a distinct etymology, which evolved in the following way:

1. Italian and Spanish Origins: “Compliment” derives from the Italian word “complimento” and the Spanish “cumplimiento,” both meaning a courteous greeting or an expression of respect. These terms, in turn, come from the verb forms “complire” in Italian and “cumplir” in Spanish, meaning to complete or fulfill duties or formalities.
2. Influence of French: The word entered the English language in the early 17th century through the French “compliment,” which had similar meanings related to civility, politeness, or respect.
3. Early Usage in English: Initially, “compliment” in English had a broader sense of formal or ceremonial acts, including elaborate courtesies and expressions of high respect in diplomatic and social interactions.
4. Evolution of Meaning: Over time, the meaning of “compliment” in English narrowed to focus on expressions of praise or flattery. This shift reflected changes in social customs, where expressions of respect became more associated with personal qualities or achievements rather than formal obligations.
5. Modern Usage: “Compliment” is typically a polite, respectful expression of praise or admiration to acknowledge someone’s good qualities, achievements, or appearances.

The history of “compliment” illustrates the influence of cultural exchange on language, which adapts to changes in social norms and behaviors. (208 words)

Effect of Humanizing the AI Text

Humanization has affected the AI content significantly with its focus on better diction (word choice) and the elimination of repetition. This effect can be seen in the reduction of the word count from 294 words to 208 words — or more than 29 percent.

The Takeaway

Whether it’s for complement or compliment, the best AI humanizer does, in fact, turn out to be a human. So, if you need any help to humanize your AI text, don’t wait to get started with the human editors at Editly.