Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense supplements, present participle supplementing, past tense, past participle supplemented
1. verb
If you supplement something, you add something to it in order to improve it.
...people doing extra jobs outside their regular jobs to supplement their incomes. [VERB noun]
I suggest supplementing your diet with vitamins E and A. [VERB noun + with]
Synonyms: add to, reinforce, complement, augment More Synonyms of supplement
Supplement is also a noun.
Business sponsorship must be a supplement to, not a substitute for, public funding. [+ to]
2. countable noun
A supplement is a pill that you take or a special kind of food that you eat in order to improve your health.
...a multiple vitamin and mineral supplement.
I took regular supplements and exercised every day.
3. countable noun
A supplement is a separate part of a magazine or newspaper, often dealing with a particular topic.
...a special supplement to a monthly financial magazine.
Synonyms: pull-out, insert, magazine section, added feature More Synonyms of supplement
4. See also colour supplement
5. countable noun
A supplementto a book is an additional section, written some time after the main text and published either at the end of the book or separately.
...the supplement to the Encyclopedia Britannica. [+ to]
Synonyms: appendix, sequel, add-on, complement More Synonyms of supplement
6. countable noun
A supplement is an extra amount of money that you pay in order to obtain special facilities or services, for example when you are travelling or staying at a hotel.
If you are travelling alone, the single room supplement is £11 a night.
Synonyms: addition, extra, surcharge More Synonyms of supplement
7. countable noun [usually NOUN noun]
A supplement is an extra amount of money that is paid to someone, in addition to their normal pension or income.
Some people may be entitled to a housing benefit supplement.
...people who need a supplement to their basic pension. [+ to]
supplement in British English
noun (ˈsʌplɪmənt)
1.
an addition designed to complete, make up for a deficiency, etc
2.
a section appended to a publication to supply further information, correct errors, etc
3.
a magazine or section inserted into a newspaper or periodical, such as one with colour photographs issued every week
4. geometry
a.
either of a pair of angles whose sum is 180°
b.
an arc of a circle that when added to another arc forms a semicircle
Abbreviation: sup, supp
verb (ˈsʌplɪˌmɛnt)
5. (transitive)
to provide a supplement to, esp in order to remedy a deficiency
Derived forms
supplementation (ˌsupplemenˈtation)
noun
supplementer (ˈsuppleˌmenter)
noun
Word origin
C14: from Latin supplēmentum, from supplēre to supply1
supplement in American English
(ˈsʌpləmənt; for v., ˈsʌpləˌmɛnt)
noun
1.
something added, esp. to make up for a lack or deficiency
2.
a section added to a book or the like to give additional information, correct errorsin the body of the work, etc.
3. US
a separate section containing feature stories, comic strips, or the like, issued with a newspaper
4.
the amount to be added to a given angle or arc to make 180° or a semicircle
verb transitive
5.
to provide a supplement to; add to, esp. so as to make up for a lack or deficiency
We can use our resources of time and money to supplement their limited amounts of both.
Christianity Today (2000)
The pursuit of the female vote has so far turned this election into a crazy colour supplement.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
They serve as a supplement to its diet in terrain that does not provide much nutrition.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
You might also consider taking a zinc mineral supplement.
Colette Harris, With Theresa Cheung PCOS DIET BOOK: How you can use the nutritional approach to deal with polycysticovary syndrome (2002)
This is a long way from other stories that suggest the benefits of supplements.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
And she has a revolting protein replacement supplement she must drink six times a day.
The Sun (2010)
Week two of our special photographic supplement presents outstanding examples of beauty frozen by the camera.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Supplements are in addition to a healthy diet.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Old money has been replaced by new money and supplemented by foreign money.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Once there was this smug and rather phoney colour supplement lifestyle food culture.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Supplements can also contain other ingredients necessary to make them stick together to form a tablet.
Colette Harris, With Theresa Cheung PCOS DIET BOOK: How you can use the nutritional approach to deal with polycysticovary syndrome (2002)
The appetite for deals may surprise those who question the benefit of nutritional supplements.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
But when retirement comes you may switch to drawing money out to supplement your retirement income.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It must be supplemented by additional information about the matter fields in the universe and how they distribute themselves.
Barrow, John D. The Origin of the Universe (1995)
Its use has sparked concern that legal supplements could provide an advantage to athletes backed by teams that can afford them.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Supplements apply for additional car passengers.
The Sun (2014)
This special supplement is the result.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
He will be supplemented for the Arc.
The Sun (2012)
Taking a supplement provides extra energy, increased endurance and an overall feeling of good health.
The Sun (2014)
The kind of designer clobber discussed in the men's magazines and supplements is of little interest to me.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Because of their protective properties they are often used in supplement form to provide biochemical supportto a body that has been invaded by cancer.
Erdmann, Robert & Jones, Meirion Fats, Nutrition and Health (1991)
She was slow coming to hand as a threeyear-old and that is why she had to be supplemented for the Arc.
The Sun (2014)
Making changes and adding supplements to your diet will help to control blood sugar, while herbs go one step further, targeting any problems involving hormone balance.
Colette Harris, With Theresa Cheung PCOS DIET BOOK: How you can use the nutritional approach to deal with polycysticovary syndrome (2002)
In other languages
supplement
British English: supplement /ˈsʌplɪmənt/ NOUN
A supplement is something which is added to another thing in order to improve it.
...a supplement to their basic pension.
American English: supplement
Arabic: مُلْحَق
Brazilian Portuguese: suplemento
Chinese: 补充
Croatian: dodatak
Czech: doplněk
Danish: supplement
Dutch: supplement
European Spanish: complemento
Finnish: täydennys
French: supplément
German: Ergänzung
Greek: συμπλήρωμα
Italian: supplemento
Japanese: 補足
Korean: 보충
Norwegian: supplement
Polish: uzupełnienie
European Portuguese: suplemento
Romanian: supliment
Russian: дополнение
Latin American Spanish: suplemento
Swedish: tillägg
Thai: ส่วนเสริม
Turkish: ilave ek
Ukrainian: додаток
Vietnamese: phần bổ sung
British English: supplement VERB
If you supplement something, you add something to it in order to improve it.
...people doing extra jobs outside their regular jobs to supplement their incomes.
American English: supplement
Brazilian Portuguese: suprir
Chinese: 补充
European Spanish: complementar
French: améliorer
German: ergänzen
Italian: integrare
Japanese: 補足する
Korean: 보충하다
European Portuguese: suprir
Latin American Spanish: complementar
All related terms of 'supplement'
food supplement
a substance designed to make up for a deficiency in one's diet
colour supplement
A colour supplement is a colour magazine which is one of the sections of a newspaper, especially at weekends .
dietary supplement
a substance taken in addition to what you eat in order to promote health
flight supplement
an additional charge payable on the price of an air ticket
mineral supplement
a pill containing minerals that you take to improve your health
single supplement
A single supplement is an additional sum of money that a hotel charges for one person to stay in a room meant for two people.
Sunday supplement
a pull-out feature that is inside a newspaper that is published on Sundays , esp one that takes the form of a separate colour magazine
family income supplement
( formerly ) a benefit formerly paid to low-income families
single person supplement
an additional sum of money that a hotel charges for one person to stay in a room meant for two people
single room supplement
an additional sum of money that a hotel charges for one person to stay in a room meant for two people
Earnings Related Supplement
(formerly, in the British National Insurance scheme ) a payment based on earnings in the previous tax year, payable (in addition to unemployment or sickness benefit ) for about six months to a sick or unemployed person