perfect

English Online Dictionary. What means perfect‎? What does perfect mean?

English

Alternative forms

• perfite, perfight (obsolete)
• pf. (abbreviation, grammar)
• poifect (humorous, pronunciation spelling)

Etymology 1

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”). The spelling was modified in the 15th century to conform to its Latin etymon. Doublet of parfait, perfecto, and perfectus.

Displaced native Old English fulfremed.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈpɜːfɪkt/, /-fɛkt/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈpɝfɪkt/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)fɪkt, -ɜː(ɹ)fɛkt
• Homophone: purrfect
• Hyphenation: per‧fect

Adjective

perfect (comparative perfecter or more perfect, superlative perfectest or most perfect)

1. Fitting its definition precisely.

2. Having all of its parts in harmony with a common purpose.

3. Without fault or mistake; without flaw, of supreme quality.
   1. (of a copy) Exact, correctly reflecting the original in all aspects.

   2. (of an actor) Having thoroughly learned or memorized a part.
   3. (obsolete outside set of phrases, of a person) Having thoroughly learned or memorized a lesson; of a lesson: having been thoroughly learned or memorized.

   4. (obsolete) Fully trained or very knowledgeable; highly skilled
4. Excellent and delightful in all respects.
5. Morally or spiritually immaculate or ideal.
7. (grammar, of a tense or verb form) Representing a completed action.

   Coordinate terms: imperfect, (rare) infect

8. (biology) Sexually mature and fully differentiated.
9. (botany, of flowers) Having both male parts (stamens) and female parts (carpels).
10. (mathematics, of a number) Equal to the sum of its proper divisors.

11. (mathematical analysis, of a set) Equal to its set of limit points, i.e. set ${displaystyle A}$ is perfect if ${displaystyle A=A'}$.
12. (music) Describing an interval or any compound interval of a unison, octave, or fourths and fifths that are not tritones.

    Coordinate terms: augmented, diminished

13. (of a cocktail) Made with equal parts of sweet and dry vermouth.

14. (obsolete) Well informed; certain; sure.
15. (obsolete) Innocent, guiltless; without blemish.
16. (obsolete) Sane, of sound mind.

Usage notes

• Some authorities proscribe the comparative and superlative forms "more perfect" and "most perfect", on the grounds that perfection is an absolute state. 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

• (antonym(s) of “fitting its definition precisely”): flawed
• (antonym(s) of “without fault or mistake”): faulty, faultful, fallible
• (antonym(s) of “botany: having both male and female parts”): imperfect

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

perfect (plural perfects)

1. (grammar) The perfect tense, or a form in that tense.
2. (video games) A perfect score; the achievement of finishing a stage or task with no mistakes.
3. (historical, Christianity) A leader of the Cathar movement.

   Synonym: perfectus

   Hyponym: perfecta

Synonyms

• (grammar): preterperfect

Translations

Etymology 2

From perfect (adjective).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /pəˈfɛkt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /pɚˈfɛkt/
• Rhymes: -ɛkt

Verb

perfect (third-person singular simple present perfects, present participle perfecting, simple past and past participle perfected)

1. (transitive) To make perfect; to improve or hone.

   Synonyms: enhance, hone, improve, optimize

2. (law) To take an action, usually the filing of a document in the correct venue, that secures a legal right.

Related terms

• perfectation
• perfecter
• perfectible

Translations

References

Anagrams

• prefect

Chinese

Alternative forms

• perfect池 (poe1 fik4 ci4)

Etymology

From English perfect.

Pronunciation

Adjective

perfect

1. (Hong Kong Cantonese) perfect; excellent; flawless

References

• English Loanwords in Hong Kong Cantonese

Dutch

Alternative forms

• perfekt (superseded)

Etymology

From Middle Dutch perfect, from Latin perfectus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɛrˈfɛkt/, /pərˈfɛkt/
• Hyphenation: per‧fect
• Rhymes: -ɛkt

Adjective

perfect (comparative perfecter, superlative perfectst)

1. perfect

   Synonym: volmaakt

   Antonyms: imperfect, onvolmaakt, gebrekkig

Declension

Related terms

Descendants

• Afrikaans: perfek
• → Indonesian: pérfék

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin perfectus, German perfekt.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [perˈfekt]

Adjective

perfect m or n (feminine singular perfectă, masculine plural perfecți, feminine and neuter plural perfecte)

1. perfect, flawless

   Synonym: desăvârșit

   Antonyms: imperfect, nedesăvârșit

Declension

Adverb

perfect

1. perfectly, completely

Noun

perfect n (uncountable)

1. perfect tense

Derived terms

• perfect compus
• perfect simplu