complète

Complète is the feminine form of the French adjective complet, meaning whole, entire, or finished. The masculine form is complet. In standard orthography, the feminine form is written complète, with a grave accent on the e, and it agrees with feminine nouns.

Usage and examples

Complète is used to describe something that includes all parts or aspects, or that is not lacking anything. Examples include une liste complète (a complete list), une description complète (a thorough description), or une solution complète (a complete solution). It can refer to materials, data, time periods, or processes that are exhaustive or fully developed.

Etymology and related forms

The word derives from the Latin completus, from complēre “to fill up, to finish.” Related forms in French include compléter (to complete), complètement (completely), et la complétude (completeness). In English, the cognate is complete.

Notes on usage

Complète contrasts with incomplet, often used in the negative incomplet or incomplettes in contexts where something is not yet finished or not exhaustive. It is distinct from complet (masculine) and from the past participle complété (completed) when used in compound tenses. When forming adverbs, the form is complètement.

See also

Completeness (in English), complet (masculine form), complétion and complétude, compléter (to complete).