complete

 
Pronunciation: /kəmˈpliːt/

adjective

  • 1having all the necessary or appropriate parts: a complete list of courses offered by the university no woman’s wardrobe is complete without this pretty top
  • entire; full: I only managed one complete term at school the complete works of Shakespeare
  • (complete with) having (something) as an additional part or feature: the house comes complete with gas central heating and double glazing
  • [predic.] having run its full course; finished: the restoration of the chapel is complete
  • 2 [attributive] (often used for emphasis) to the greatest extent or degree; total: a complete ban on smoking their marriage came as a complete surprise to me
  • (also compleat) chiefly humorous skilled at every aspect of a particular activity; consummate: his range of skills made him the complete footballer
    [the spelling compleat is a revival of the 17th century use as in Walton's The Compleat Angler]

verb

[with object]
  • 1finish making or doing: he completed his PhD in 1993
  • [no object] British conclude the sale of a property: you may find yourself in a position where you have to wait for your purchaser to complete, whereas your new home is ready
  • American Football (of a quarterback) successfully throw (a forward pass) to a receiver: he was still throwing the ball hard enough to complete 48 of 76 passes
  • 2provide with the item or items necessary to make (something) full or entire: complete your collection of Britain’s brightest gardening magazine quarry tiles and faded rugs complete the look
  • write the required information on (a form or questionnaire): please complete the attached forms

Derivatives

completeness

noun

Origin:

late Middle English: from Old French complet or Latin completus, past participle of complere 'fill up, finish, fulfil', from com- (expressing intensive force) + plere 'fill'

On the question of the use of adjectives like complete, equal, and unique with submodifiers such as very or more, see unique (usage).