Complètement

Complètement is a French adverb meaning completely, totally, or fully. It is used to intensify or qualify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, to express that something is true in its entirety or to a very high degree. It is common in both written and spoken French and can carry strong emphasis, depending on context.

Etymology and formation: Complètement is derived from the adjective complet (from Latin completus, completed) plus the adverbial suffix -ment. The spelling involves a diacritic on the preceding vowel and a double consonant before the suffix, yielding the form complètement in standard spelling. It functions as an adverb, not as an adjective, and does not change for gender or number.

Pronunciation and usage notes: The typical pronunciation in IPA is roughly /kɔ̃.plɛt.mɑ̃/. It often appears in constructions such as complè tement sûr, complè tement différent, or complè tement épuisé, where it strengthens the meaning of the following adjective or verb. It can be negated in standard sentence structure, as in ne pas complètement, or integrated in negations like pas complètement convaincu.

Synonyms and related terms: Common synonyms include entièrement, totalement, tout à fait, and parfaitement in certain contexts. The choice among them can convey slight nuances in degree or formality. Related contrasts include partiellement or incomplètement to indicate partial extent.

See also: The adjective complet and the verb compléter are etymologically linked; other intensifiers include tout à fait, complètement, et entièrement depending on nuance and register.