Glossary:Complementarity

Definition

Complementarity (/ˌkɒmplɪmənˈtærɪtɪ/) arises where one section is divided into two separate parts or conditions that cannot exist at the same time. There is no possibility of an AND-relation but only an OR-relation. Antonyms are often said to belong into the same category but can be set on the end-points of an gradable spectrum.

Examples

dead - alive
female - male
natural - artificial

Other related terms

• hyponym

• hyperonym

• homonym

• synonym

Literature

• | Direction of Derivation by F. Plank - A rather complex paper on semantic complexity in English and German