perfect
English
Alternative forms
- (abbreviation, grammar): pf.
Etymology 1
2=dʰeh₁Please see Module:checkparams for help with this warning.
From Middle English perfit, from Old French parfit (modern: parfait), from Latin perfectus, perfect passive participle of perficere (“to finish”), from per- (“through, thorough”) + facere (“to do, to make”). Spelling modified 15c. to conform to Latin etymology. Doublet of parfait.
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "UK" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈpɜː.fɪkt/, /ˈpɜː.fɛkt/
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "US" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈpɝfɪkt/
Audio (US): (file)
Adjective
perfect (comparative perfecter or more perfect, superlative perfectest or most perfect)
- Fitting its definition precisely.
- a perfect circle
- Having all of its parts in harmony with a common purpose.
- That bucket with the hole in the bottom is a poor bucket, but it is perfect for watering plants.
- Without fault or mistake; thoroughly skilled or talented.
- Practice makes perfect.
- Excellent and delightful in all respects.
- a perfect day
- 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:
- They burned the old gun that used to stand in the dark corner up in the garret, close to the stuffed fox that always grinned so fiercely. Perhaps the reason why he seemed in such a ghastly rage was that he did not come by his death fairly. Otherwise his pelt would not have been so perfect. And why else was he put away up there out of sight?—and so magnificent a brush as he had too.
- (grammar, of a tense or verb form) Representing a completed action.
- (biology) Sexually mature and fully differentiated.
- (botany) Of flowers, having both male parts (stamens) and female parts (carpels).
- (mathematical analysis) Of a set, that it is equal to its set of limit points, i.e. set A is perfect if A=A'.
- (music) Describing an interval or any compound interval of a unison, octave, or fourths and fifths that are not tritones.
- (of a cocktail) Made with equal parts of sweet and dry vermouth.
- a perfect Manhattan; a perfect Rob Roy
- (obsolete) Well informed; certain; sure.
- (Can we date this quote by William Shakespeare and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
- I am perfect that the Pannonians are now in arms.
- (Can we date this quote by William Shakespeare and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
Usage notes
Some authorities proscribe the comparative and superlative forms "more perfect" and "most perfect", on the grounds that perfection is an absolute state.[1][2][3] Nevertheless, graded forms have been in common use in writing for centuries – for instance the Preamble to the United States Constitution, drafted in 1787, describes its goal as "a more perfect Union". In these cases, "more perfect" can mean "closer to perfection", "less imperfect" or "improving upon an already perfect state".
Synonyms
- (fitting its definition precisely): accurate, flawless
- (without fault or mistake): faultless, infallible
- (thoroughly skilled or talented): expert, proficient
- (biology: sexually mature and fully differentiated): mature
- (botany: having both male and female parts): bisexual, hermaphroditic
- See also Thesaurus:flawless
Antonyms
- (fitting its definition precisely): flawed
- (without fault or mistake): faulty, faultful, fallible
- (botany: having both male and female parts): imperfect
Hyponyms
Coordinate terms
- (music): augmented
- (music): diminished
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
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Noun
perfect (plural perfects)
- (grammar) The perfect tense, or a form in that tense.
- (video games) A perfect score; the achievement of finishing a stage or task with no mistakes.
- 2007, Barbara Smith, Chad Yancey, Video Game Achievements and Unlockables (page 17)
- Awarded for scoring all Perfects in the Dominator rank!
- 2007, Eli Neiburger, Gamers-- in the Library?!:
- […] a table of all the ratings that each player has achieved, giving you several scoring options based on player feedback (I simply record the number of perfects).
- 2007, Barbara Smith, Chad Yancey, Video Game Achievements and Unlockables (page 17)
Synonyms
- (grammar): preterperfect
Etymology 2
From perfect (adjective).
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "UK" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /pəˈfɛkt/
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "US" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /pɚˈfɛkt/
Audio (US): (file)
Verb
perfect (third-person singular simple present perfects, present participle perfecting, simple past and past participle perfected)
- (transitive) To make perfect; to improve or hone.
- I am going to perfect this article.
- You spend too much time trying to perfect your dancing.
- (law) To take an action, usually the filing of a document in the correct venue, that secures a legal right.
- perfect an appeal; perfect an interest; perfect a judgment
Synonyms
Related terms
Translations
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References
- ^ 2004, Ann Batko, Edward Rosenheim, When Bad Grammar Happens to Good People: How to Avoid Common Errors in English, Career Press →ISBN, page 136
- ^ 1843, Roswell Chamberlain Smith, Smith's New Grammar, page 144
- ^ 2015, Stephen Spector, May I Quote You on That?: A Guide to Grammar and Usage, Oxford University Press →ISBN, page 161
Anagrams
Dutch
Etymology
From Middle Dutch perfect, from Latin perfectus.
Pronunciation
Adjective
perfect (comparative perfecter, superlative perfectst)
Inflection
Declension of perfect | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
uninflected | perfect | |||
inflected | perfecte | |||
comparative | perfecter | |||
positive | comparative | superlative | ||
predicative/adverbial | perfect | perfecter | het perfectst het perfectste | |
indefinite | m./f. sing. | perfecte | perfectere | perfectste |
n. sing. | perfect | perfecter | perfectste | |
plural | perfecte | perfectere | perfectste | |
definite | perfecte | perfectere | perfectste | |
partitive | perfects | perfecters | — |
Derived terms
Related terms
Descendants
- Afrikaans: perfek
Adverb
perfect
Romanian
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin perfectus, (deprecated template usage) [etyl] German perfekt.
Pronunciation
Adjective
perfect m or n (feminine singular perfectă, masculine plural perfecți, feminine and neuter plural perfecte)
- perfect, flawless
Declension
singular | plural | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | neuter | feminine | masculine | neuter | feminine | ||
nominative/ accusative |
indefinite | perfect | perfectă | perfecți | perfecte | ||
definite | perfectul | perfecta | perfecții | perfectele | |||
genitive/ dative |
indefinite | perfect | perfecte | perfecți | perfecte | ||
definite | perfectului | perfectei | perfecților | perfectilor |
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adverb
perfect
Noun
perfect n (uncountable)
Derived terms
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old French
- English terms derived from Latin
- English doublets
- English 2-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio pronunciation
- English lemmas
- English adjectives
- English terms with usage examples
- English terms with quotations
- en:Grammar
- en:Biology
- en:Botany
- en:Mathematical analysis
- en:Music
- English terms with obsolete senses
- Requests for date/William Shakespeare
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- en:Video games
- English verbs
- English transitive verbs
- en:Law
- English basic words
- English heteronyms
- Dutch terms inherited from Middle Dutch
- Dutch terms derived from Middle Dutch
- Dutch terms derived from Latin
- Dutch terms with IPA pronunciation
- Dutch terms with audio pronunciation
- Rhymes:Dutch/ɛkt
- Dutch lemmas
- Dutch adjectives
- Dutch adverbs
- Romanian terms borrowed from Latin
- Romanian terms derived from Latin
- Romanian terms derived from German
- Romanian terms with IPA pronunciation
- Romanian lemmas
- Romanian adjectives
- Romanian adverbs
- Romanian nouns
- Romanian uncountable nouns
- Romanian neuter nouns
- ro:Grammar