Complementary vs Ancillary - What's the difference?
complementary | ancillary |
Acting as a complement.
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(genetics) Of the specific pairings of the bases in DNA and RNA.
(physics) Pertaining to pairs of properties in quantum mechanics that are inversely related to each other, such as speed and position, or energy and time. (See also Heisenberg uncertainty principle.)
A complementary colour.
(obsolete) One skilled in compliments.
Subordinate; secondary; auxiliary; accessory.
* 1836 , :
* 1898 ,
Something that serves an ancillary function, such as an easel for a painter.
(archaic) An auxiliary; a subordinate.
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As adjectives the difference between complementary and ancillary
is that complementary is acting as a complement while ancillary is subordinate; secondary; auxiliary; accessory.As nouns the difference between complementary and ancillary
is that complementary is a complementary colour while ancillary is something that serves an ancillary function, such as an easel for a painter.complementary
English
(wikipedia complementary)Adjective
(en adjective)- Using the terminology we intro-
duced earlier, we might then say that black and white squares are in comple-
mentary distribution on a chess-board. By this we mean two things: firstly,
black squares and white squares occupy different positions on the board: and
secondly, the black and white squares complement each other in the sense that
the black squares together with the white squares comprise the total set of 64
squares found on the board (i.e. there is no square on the board which is not
either black or white).
Usage notes
* Complementary and complimentary are frequently confused and misused in place of one another.Derived terms
* complementarily * complementarity * complementary angle * complementary colour * complementary distributionNoun
(complementaries)- (Ben Jonson)
External links
* *ancillary
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- how easily he took all things along with him,—the persons, the opinions, and the day, and nature became ancillary to a man.
- [E]very organ of the body, whatever function it may perform, must also perform the other four functions in an ancillary manner.
