Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Expressing, using, or resembling a compliment.
  • adjective Given as a courtesy at no charge.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Intended to express or convey a compliment or compliments; expressive of civility, regard, or preference; using or accustomed to use compliments: as, complimentary language; complimentary tickets; you are very complimentary.
  • Synonyms Commendatory, laudatory, flattering.
  • noun A compliment.
  • noun A master of defense who wrote upon the compliments and ceremonies of dueling.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Expressive of regard or praise; of the nature of, or containing, a compliment.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective In the nature of a compliment.
  • adjective Free; provided at no charge.
  • adjective With respect to the closing of a letter, formal and professional.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective conveying or resembling a compliment
  • adjective costing nothing

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

compliment +‎ -ary

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Examples

  • BETHANY MARSHALL, PSYCHOTHERAPISTS: I think she and Howard Stern are what we call complimentary narcissists, meaning that they have the unique individual attributes of narcissists, but that ` s blossomed once they got together.

    CNN Transcript Oct 26, 2006 2006

  • Competitors, collaborators, those in complimentary fields with an overlapping client base, and folks who are totally outside your immediate world.

    Women Grow Business » 2009 » November 2009

  • Competitors, collaborators, those in complimentary fields with an overlapping client base, and folks who are totally outside your immediate world.

    Women Grow Business » Entrepreneurs and 2010: How To Build Your Development Plan 2009

  • And then he actually goes on to discuss the story in complimentary terms for the opening two paragraphs of his full page review.

    June 2006 2006

  • And then he actually goes on to discuss the story in complimentary terms for the opening two paragraphs of his full page review.

    The Old Grey Lady, She Ain't What She Used to Be 2006

  • Not all the speakers have couched their sentiments in complimentary language, indeed, it is a fact which we citizens of the Empire would be foolish to ignore that important sections of opinion among our American friends and elsewhere are rather suspicious of the British Empire.

    The Empire In These Days 1943

  • You, however, may refer to me in complimentary forms only …:)

    Think Progress » ThinkFast: May 4, 2006 2006

  • You, however, may refer to me in complimentary forms only†¦:)

    Think Progress » ThinkFast: May 4, 2006 2006

  • Well, Dave, that's because blue and orange are what are called complimentary colors if you watch enough TLC you pick up these things.

    NEW TEEN TITANS #34 DC Comics, 1983 David Campbell 2007

  • Their report is not what could be called complimentary:

    Archive 2007-01-01 Divers 2007

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