Supplémentaires

Supplémentaires is a French adjective meaning "additional" or "supplementary." It is used to denote items, quantities, or information added beyond a baseline. The term appears in everyday language as well as in technical, legal, or administrative contexts, for example "coûts supplémentaires" (additional costs) or "documents supplémentaires" (additional documents).

Morphology and usage: It is invariable in gender for singular forms; masculine and feminine singular forms are both "supplémentaire," while the plural form is "supplémentaires" for both genders. It generally follows the noun it modifies in French word order, as in "paiements supplémentaires" or "personnes supplémentaires."

Etymology: Derived from the noun "supplément" (supplement) with the adjectival suffix -aire, ultimately from Latin supplementum. The form is identical for masculine and feminine singular, while the plural adds -es.

Usage notes: In many contexts, "additionnel" and "supplémentaire" are near-synonyms, but "supplémentaire" can carry a nuance of an addition beyond a baseline or standard quantity. Common collocations include "coûts supplémentaires," "documents supplémentaires," "places supplémentaires," and "personnes supplémentaires." The word is typical in business, administration, and legal writing, as well as in ordinary speech.

See also: supplément, supplémentaire (note on spelling and related terms), additionnel, complément.