adj Uncommon

supplementary

Supplementary (adj) means Added to provide something extra that was needed. Example: “Students received supplementary notes before the exam.”

adj

Added to provide something extra that was needed.

"Students received supplementary notes before the exam."

"The government issued supplementary guidance on the new rules."

How to Use Supplementary

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAdditional, added to complete or reinforce the main thing.

Common mistake

Very close in meaning to "supplemental" — supplementary is more common in British English and formal contexts.

Easily confused with

supplemental →

Common pairings

supplementary material supplementary information supplementary angle

Word Forms

more supplementary comparative, supplementaries plural, most supplementary superlative

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

Students received _____ notes before the exam.

Etymology

From supplement + -ary; compare French supplémentaire.

Origin: French

Rhymes for supplementary

vary Mary nary wary diary ovary weary apiary canary salary binary January

See all rhymes for supplementary →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “supplementary” mean?

The word “supplementary” means added to provide something extra that was needed. In plain terms, additional, added to complete or reinforce the main thing.

How do you use “supplementary” in a sentence?

Here is “supplementary” used in a sentence: “Students received supplementary notes before the exam.”

What part of speech is “supplementary”?

“Supplementary” is an adjective.

Where does the word “supplementary” come from?

The word “supplementary” comes from French. From supplement + -ary; compare French supplémentaire.

Is “supplementary” a common word?

“Supplementary” is an uncommon word in modern English.