perfect

The word “perfect” means without any flaws or mistakes; as good as something can possibly be. In plain terms, flawless, or exactly right for a particular purpose.

“Perfect” is pronounced PUR-fihkt (/ˈpɝ.fɪkt/ in IPA).

Here is “perfect” used in a sentence: “The weather was perfect for a picnic.”

Words with a similar meaning to “perfect” include faultless, infallible, hermaphroditic and preterperfect.

The opposite of “perfect” — its antonyms — are faulty, flawed, faultful, fallible and imperfect.

Depending on how it is used, “perfect” can be an adjective, a noun and a verb.

The word “perfect” comes from Latin. From Latin perfectus, "completed, finished", from perficere ("to finish, accomplish"), from per- ("thoroughly") + facere ("to do or make").

“Perfect” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

The two are close synonyms. Flawless means having no flaws or blemishes — a flawless surface, a flawless performance. Perfect goes a step further, suggesting something is not just free of faults but as good as it could possibly be. Everything perfect is flawless, but perfect adds the sense of complete excellence.

In practice, perfection is rare and often debated, since almost anything can be improved or judged differently by different people. The word is still useful, though, whether describing a flawless diamond, a faultless test score, or an ideal fit. Often 'perfect' means as close to flawless as realistically possible.

The main opposites are imperfect, flawed, and faulty, all meaning something contains mistakes or shortcomings. Defective fits when a thing does not work as it should. Each contrasts with perfect by pointing to the very faults that a perfect thing, by definition, does not have.

A test answered correctly with full marks is a perfect score. A gymnast who completes a routine without a single error gives a perfect performance. In each case, nothing is wrong and nothing could be better — the mark of something described as perfect.