complete
Meaning
Having all the necessary or appropriate parts; entire; finished.
To the greatest extent or degree; total.
To finish making or doing something; to bring to an end.
To provide the information asked for on a form or document.
Structure
Usage
The collection is now complete with the addition of the final volume.
His resignation came as a complete surprise to the entire staff.
Please complete the application form and return it by Friday.
Etymology
The word 'complete' entered English in the late 14th century from the Latin 'complētus', the past participle of 'complēre', meaning 'to fill up, to finish'. 'Complēre' itself is a compound of the intensive prefix 'com-' (meaning 'thoroughly') and the verb 'plēre' (meaning 'to fill'). The core logic is that to complete something is to "fill it up thoroughly," making it whole and lacking nothing. This sense of thorough fulfillment evolved from the physical act of filling a container to the abstract concepts of finishing a task or achieving a state of entirety.
Analysis
com: A Latin prefix meaning 'together', 'with', or 'thoroughly'. It assimilates to 'col-', 'con-', 'cor-' before certain consonants. plete: From the Latin root '-plet-', a variant of '-plē-', meaning 'to fill'. It is related to the Latin verb 'plēre' (to fill) and the adjective 'plēnus' (full).