English
Alternative forms
- perfite, perfight (obsolete)
- pf. (abbreviation, grammar)
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”). Spelling modified 15c. to conform to Latin etymology. Doublet of parfait.
Displaced native Old English fulfremed.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈpɜː.fɪkt/, /ˈpɜː.fɛkt/
- (US) IPA(key): /ˈpɝ.fɪkt/
- Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)fɪkt, -ɜː(ɹ)fɛkt
Adjective
perfect (comparative perfecter or more perfect, superlative perfectest or most perfect)
- Fitting its definition precisely.
-
a perfect circle
-
- Having all of its parts in harmony with a common purpose.
-
That bucket with the hole in the bottom is a poor bucket, but it is perfect for watering plants.
-
- Without fault or mistake; without flaw, of supreme quality.
-
The gymnast performed a perfect somersault.
-
I think I’m in love—I can’t stop thinking about her. She’s perfect!
- (of a copy) Exact, correctly reflecting the original in all aspects.
-
The expert forger made a perfect copy of the victim’s driver’s license
-
- (of an actor) Having thoroughly learned or memorized a part.
- (obsolete outside set of phrases) Of a person: having thoroughly learned or memorized a lesson; of a lesson: having been thoroughly learned or memorized.
-
Practice makes perfect.
-
- (obsolete) Fully trained or very knowledgeable; highly skilled
-
c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], lines 152–154:
- Our Battaile is more full of Names then yours, / Our Men more perfect in the vse of Armes, / Our Armor all as strong, our Cause the best
-
-
- Excellent and delightful in all respects.
-
a perfect day
-
1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:
-
They burned the old gun that used to stand in the dark corner up in the garret, close to the stuffed fox that always grinned so fiercely. Perhaps the reason why he seemed in such a ghastly rage was that he did not come by his death fairly. Otherwise his pelt would not have been so perfect. And why else was he put away up there out of sight?—and so magnificent a brush as he had too.
-
-
- Morally or spiritually immaculate or ideal.
- (grammar, of a tense or verb form) Representing a completed action.
- (biology) Sexually mature and fully differentiated.
- (botany) Of flowers: having both male parts (stamens) and female parts (carpels).
- (mathematics) Of a number: equal to the sum of its proper divisors.
- 6 is perfect because the sum of its proper divisors, 1, 2, and 3, which is 6, is equal to the number itself.
- (mathematical analysis) Of a set: equal to its set of limit points, i.e. set A is perfect if A=A’.
- (music) Describing an interval or any compound interval of a unison, octave, or fourths and fifths that are not tritones.
- (of a cocktail) Made with equal parts of sweet and dry vermouth.
-
a perfect Manhattan; a perfect Rob Roy
-
- (obsolete) Well informed; certain; sure.
-
1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
- I am perfect that the Pannonians and Dalmatians for their liberties are now in arms.
-
- (obsolete) Innocent, guiltless; without blemish.
-
1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii]:
- My fault being nothing—as I have told you oft— / But that two villains, whose false oaths prevail’d / Before my perfect honour, swore to Cymbeline / I was confederate with the Romans: so / Follow’d my banishment
-
c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
- My parts, my title, and my perfect soul shall manifest me rightly.
-
- (obsolete) Sane, of sound mind.
-
c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vii]:
- Pray, do not mock me. / I am a very foolish fond old man, / Fourscore and upward, not an hour more nor less / And, to deal plainly, / I fear I am not in my perfect 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.[1][2][3] 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
- (fitting its definition precisely): flawed
- (without fault or mistake): faulty, faultful, fallible
- (botany: having both male and female parts): imperfect
Hyponyms
- future perfect
- past perfect
- pluperfect
- present perfect
Coordinate terms
- (music): augmented
- (music): diminished
Derived terms
- heptaperfect
- imperfect
- letter-perfect
- note-perfect
- perfection
- perfectionist
- perfective
- picture-perfect
- pitch-perfect
- pixel-perfect
- word-perfect
- perfect competition
- perfect market
- perfect number
- perfect pitch
- practice makes perfect
Translations
fitting its definition precisely
- Albanian: please add this translation if you can
- American Sign Language: SmallO@NearTipThumb-PalmDown-SmallO@CenterChesthigh-PalmUp CirclesSurface Contact
- Arabic: كَامِل (kāmil)
- Armenian: կատարյալ (hy) (kataryal)
- Azerbaijani: mükəmməl (az)
- Basque: please add this translation if you can
- Belarusian: даскана́лы (daskanály)
- Bulgarian: съвърше́н (bg) (sǎvǎršén)
- Catalan: perfecte (ca)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 完美 (zh) (wánměi), 完善 (zh) (wánshàn)
- Czech: dokonalý (cs)
- Danish: perfekt
- Dutch: volmaakt (nl), perfect (nl), volkomen (nl)
- Esperanto: please add this translation if you can
- Estonian: täiuslik, perfektne
- Finnish: täydellinen (fi)
- French: parfait (fr)
- Georgian: სრულყოფილი (srulq̇opili)
- German: perfekt (de), vollkommen (de)
- Gothic: 𐍆𐌿𐌻𐌻𐌰𐍄𐍉𐌾𐌹𐍃 (fullatōjis)
- Hebrew: מושלם m (mushlám)
- Hindi: कामिल (hi) (kāmil), निष्कलंक (hi) (niṣkalaṅk)
- Hungarian: tökéletes (hu)
- Indonesian: sempurna (id)
- Italian: perfetto (it)
- Japanese: 正確 (ja) (正確な, seikaku na)
- Khmer: ល្អឥតខ្ចោះ (lʼɑɑ ʼət khcɑh)
- Korean: 완벽하다 (ko) (wanbyeokhada)
- Latin: perfectus
- Lao: please add this translation if you can
- Macedonian: совршен (sovršen)
- Mongolian: please add this translation if you can
- Norwegian: perfekt (no)
- Old English: fulfremed
- Persian: کامل (fa) (kâmel)
- Polish: doskonały (pl)
- Portuguese: perfeito (pt)
- Romanian: perfect (ro)
- Russian: соверше́нный (ru) (soveršénnyj), безупре́чный (ru) (bezupréčnyj), безукори́зненный (ru) (bezukoríznennyj), идеа́льный (ru) (ideálʹnyj)
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: са̀вр̄шен
- Roman: sàvr̄šen (sh)
- Slovak: dokonalý
- Slovene: popoln m
- Spanish: perfecto (es)
- Swedish: fullkomlig (sv), fulländad (sv), perfekt (sv)
- Tagalog: himpit
- Tajik: комил (tg) (komil)
- Thai: สมบูรณ์ (th) (sǒm-buun)
- Turkish: mükemmel (tr)
- Ukrainian: доскона́лий (doskonályj)
- Urdu: کامل (kāmil)
- Uzbek: mukammal (uz)
- Vietnamese: hoàn toàn (vi)
- Welsh: perffaith (cy)
having all of its parts in harmony with a common purpose
- American Sign Language: SmallO@NearTipThumb-PalmDown-SmallO@CenterChesthigh-PalmUp CirclesSurface Contact
- Arabic: كَامِل (kāmil)
- Armenian: կատարյալ (hy) (kataryal)
- Azerbaijani: mükəmməl (az), əla (az)
- Catalan: perfecte (ca)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 完美 (zh) (wánměi), 完善 (zh) (wánshàn)
- Czech: dokonalý (cs) m
- Dutch: perfect (nl), perfecte (nl)
- Finnish: täydellinen (fi)
- French: parfait (fr) m
- Georgian: სრულყოფილი (srulq̇opili), სრულქმნილი (srulkmnili)
- Hungarian: tökéletes (hu)
- Indonesian: sempurna (id)
- Irish: foirfe
- Italian: perfetto (it) m
- Japanese: 完全な (ja) (かんぜんな, kanzen na), 全い (まったい, mattai)
- Old English: fulfremed
- Polish: doskonały (pl)
- Portuguese: perfeito (pt) m
- Romanian: perfect (ro) m or n
- Russian: соверше́нный (ru) (soveršénnyj), безупре́чный (ru) (bezupréčnyj), безукори́зненный (ru) (bezukoríznennyj), идеа́льный (ru) (ideálʹnyj)
- Scottish Gaelic: foirfe
- Spanish: perfecto (es)
- Swedish: fullkomlig (sv), fulländad (sv), perfekt (sv)
- Telugu: సంపూర్ణ (te) (sampūrṇa), పరిపూర్ణ (te) (paripūrṇa)
- Ukrainian: ідеа́льний (ideálʹnyj), доверше́ний (doveršényj)
without fault or mistake
- Azerbaijani: mükəmməl (az), qüsursuz, nöqsansız (az), eyibsiz
- Belarusian: даскана́лы (daskanály)
- Catalan: perfecte (ca)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 完美 (zh) (wánměi)
- Dutch: volmaakt (nl), perfect (nl)
- Esperanto: perfekta
- Finnish: täydellinen (fi), virheetön (fi)
- French: parfait (fr)
- Georgian: სრულყოფილი (srulq̇opili), უზადო (uzado)
- German: perfekt (de), vollkommen (de)
- Gothic: 𐍆𐌿𐌻𐌻𐌰𐍄𐍉𐌾𐌹𐍃 (fullatōjis)
- Hungarian: kifogástalan (hu), hibátlan (hu)
- Indonesian: sempurna (id)
- Japanese: 完璧な (ja) (かんぺきな, kanpeki na), 全い (まったい, mattai)
- Korean: 완벽하다 (ko) (wanbyeokhada)
- Lao: please add this translation if you can
- Latin: perfectus
- Maore Comorian: -kamilifu
- Maori: paruhi, pāruhiruhi, takarepakore, hauora
- Old English: fulfremed
- Persian: پرفکت (perfekt)
- Polish: perfekcyjny (pl)
- Portuguese: perfeito (pt)
- Russian: безупре́чный (ru) (bezupréčnyj), безукори́зненный (ru) (bezukoríznennyj)
- Spanish: perfecto (es)
- Swedish: felfri (sv), perfekt (sv)
- Thai: ไม่ผิดพลาด (mâi pìt plâat)
- Ukrainian: доскона́лий (doskonályj)
- Vietnamese: hoàn hảo (vi) (完好)
- Welsh: perffaith (cy)
thoroughly skilled or talented
excellent and delightful in all respects
- American Sign Language: SmallO@NearTipThumb-PalmDown-SmallO@CenterChesthigh-PalmUp CirclesSurface Contact
- Catalan: perfecte (ca)
- Czech: dokonalý (cs) m
- Finnish: täydellinen (fi), suurenmoinen (fi)
- Hungarian: tökéletes (hu)
- Japanese: 完璧な (ja) (かんぺきな, kanpeki na)
- Korean: please add this translation if you can
- Maori: pāruhiruhi, paruhi
- Polish: idealny (pl) m, doskonały (pl) m, perfekcyjny (pl) m
- Portuguese: perfeito (pt)
- Scottish Gaelic: foirfe
- Slovene: popoln m
- Spanish: perfecto (es)
- Swedish: fantastisk (sv), perfekt (sv), väldigt (sv) fin (sv), underbar (sv), utmärkt (sv)
- Telugu: పరిపూర్ణ (te) (paripūrṇa)
- Turkish: mükemmel (tr)
- Vietnamese: please add this translation if you can
- Welsh: i’r dim (cy)
grammar: of a tense or verb form: representing a completed action
- Belarusian: зако́нчаны (zakónčany), даскана́лы (daskanály)
- Bulgarian: свърше́н (bg) (svǎršén)
- Catalan: perfet (ca)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 完成式 (wánchéngshì)
- Dutch: voltooid (nl), voltooide (nl)
- Finnish: perfektinen, perfekti-
- French: parfait (fr) m
- Georgian: ნამყო სრული (namq̇o sruli), პრეფექტი (ṗrepekṭi)
- Greek:
- Ancient: παρακείμενος (parakeímenos)
- Hebrew: נִשְׁלָם m (nishlám)
- Hungarian: befejezett (hu)
- Irish: foirfe
- Japanese: 完了の (ja) (かんりょうの, kanryō no)
- Latin: perfectus
- Persian: کامل (fa) (kâmel)
- Polish: dokonany (pl)
- Portuguese: perfeito (pt)
- Romanian: perfectul simplu (ro)
- Russian: соверше́нный (ru) (soveršénnyj)
- Spanish: perfecto (es)
- Swedish: perfekt (sv)
- Ukrainian: доко́наний (dokónanyj)
- Vietnamese: hoàn thành (vi)
biology: sexually mature and fully differentiated
botany: having both male and female parts
Noun
perfect (plural perfects)
- (grammar) The perfect tense, or a form in that tense.
- (video games) A perfect score; the achievement of finishing a stage or task with no mistakes.
- 2007, Barbara Smith, Chad Yancey, Video Game Achievements and Unlockables (page 17)
- Awarded for scoring all Perfects in the Dominator rank!
-
2007, Eli Neiburger, Gamers— in the Library?!:
-
[…] a table of all the ratings that each player has achieved, giving you several scoring options based on player feedback (I simply record the number of perfects).
-
- 2007, Barbara Smith, Chad Yancey, Video Game Achievements and Unlockables (page 17)
- (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)
- (transitive) To make perfect; to improve or hone.
- I am going to perfect this article.
- You spend too much time trying to perfect your dancing.
- (law) To take an action, usually the filing of a document in the correct venue, that secures a legal right.
- perfect an appeal; perfect an interest; perfect a judgment
Synonyms
- (to make perfect): enhance, hone, improve, optimize
- perfectation
- perfecter
- perfectible
Translations
make perfect
- Albanian: përsos (sq)
- Arabic: أَتْقَنَ (ʔatqana)
- Belarusian: удаскана́льваць impf (udaskanálʹvacʹ), удаскана́ліць pf (udaskanálicʹ), даскана́ліць impf (daskanálicʹ)
- Bulgarian: усъвърше́нствувам (bg) impf (usǎvǎršénstvuvam)
- Catalan: perfeccionar (ca)
- Czech: zdokonalit pf
- Dutch: perfectioneren (nl)
- Esperanto: perfektigi
- Finnish: tehdä täydelliseksi
- French: perfectionner (fr), parfaire (fr)
- German: vollenden (de), perfektionieren (de), vervollkommnen (de)
- Greek: τελειοποιώ (el) (teleiopoió)
- Hungarian: tökéletesít (hu), tökélyre fejleszt
- Italian: perfezionare (it)
- Latin: perficiō (la)
- Macedonian: усовршува impf (usovršuva), усоврши pf (usovrši)
- Polish: doskonalić (pl) impf, udoskonalać (pl) impf, udoskonalić (pl) pf
- Portuguese: aperfeiçoar (pt)
- Romanian: perfecta (ro)
- Russian: соверше́нствовать (ru) impf (soveršénstvovatʹ), усоверше́нствовать (ru) pf (usoveršénstvovatʹ)
- Slovak: zdokonaľovať impf, zdokonaliť pf
- Slovene: izpopolniti
- Spanish: perfeccionar (es)
- Swedish: finslipa (sv), fullkomna, fullända (sv), förbättra (sv), förfina (sv), göra (sv) perfekt (sv)
- Turkish: kusursuzlaştırmak
- Ukrainian: удоскона́лювати impf (udoskonáljuvaty), удоскона́лити pf (udoskonályty), вдоскона́лювати impf (vdoskonáljuvaty) (after vowels), вдоскона́лити pf (vdoskonályty) (after vowels)
References
- ^ 2004, Ann Batko, Edward Rosenheim, When Bad Grammar Happens to Good People: How to Avoid Common Errors in English, Career Press →ISBN, page 136
- ^ 1843, Roswell Chamberlain Smith, Smith’s New Grammar, page 144
- ^ 2015, Stephen Spector, May I Quote You on That?: A Guide to Grammar and Usage, Oxford University Press →ISBN, page 161
Anagrams
- prefect
Chinese
Alternative forms
- perfect池 (poe1 fik4 ci4)
Etymology
From English perfect.
Pronunciation
- Cantonese (Jyutping): poe1 fik4, poe1 fek4
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Jyutping: poe1 fik4, poe1 fek4
- Yale: pēu fìhk, pēu fèhk
- Cantonese Pinyin: poe1 fik4, poe1 fek4
- Guangdong Romanization: pê1 fig4, pê1 fég4
- Sinological IPA (key): /pʰœː⁵⁵ fɪk̚²¹/, /pʰœː⁵⁵ fɛːk̚²¹/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
Adjective
perfect
- (Hong Kong Cantonese) perfect; excellent; flawless
References
- English Loanwords in Hong Kong Cantonese
Dutch
Etymology
From Middle Dutch perfect, from Latin perfectus.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /pɛrˈfɛkt/, /pərˈfɛkt/
- Hyphenation: per‧fect
- Rhymes: -ɛkt
Adjective
perfect (comparative perfecter, superlative perfectst)
- perfect
- Synonym: volmaakt
Inflection
| Inflection of perfect | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| uninflected | perfect | |||
| inflected | perfecte | |||
| comparative | perfecter | |||
| positive | comparative | superlative | ||
| predicative/adverbial | perfect | perfecter | het perfectst het perfectste |
|
| indefinite | m./f. sing. | perfecte | perfectere | perfectste |
| n. sing. | perfect | perfecter | perfectste | |
| plural | perfecte | perfectere | perfectste | |
| definite | perfecte | perfectere | perfectste | |
| partitive | perfects | perfecters | — |
Derived terms
- imperfect
- perfectie
- imperfectum
- perfectum
Descendants
- Afrikaans: perfek
Adverb
perfect
- perfectly
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)
- perfect, flawless
Declension
Synonyms
- desăvârșit
Antonyms
- imperfect
- nedesăvârșit
Adverb
perfect
- perfectly, completely
Noun
perfect n (uncountable)
- perfect tense
Derived terms
- perfect compus
- perfect simplu
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Why, when we know that there’s no such thing as perfect, do most of us spend an incredible amount of time and energy trying to be everything to everyone? Is it that we really admire perfection? No — the truth is that we are actually drawn to people who are real and down-to-earth. We love authenticity and we know that life is messy and imperfect.
Brene Brown
ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD PERFECT
From Latin perfectus, from perficere to perform, from per through + facere to do.
Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.
PRONUNCIATION OF PERFECT
GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF PERFECT
Perfect is a verb and can also act as a noun and an adjective.
A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.
The adjective is the word that accompanies the noun to determine or qualify it.
The verb is the part of the sentence that is conjugated and expresses action and state of being.
See the conjugation of the verb perfect in English.
WHAT DOES PERFECT MEAN IN ENGLISH?
Perfection
Perfection is, broadly, a state of completeness and flawlessness. The term «perfection» is actually used to designate a range of diverse, if often kindred, concepts. These concepts have historically been addressed in a number of discrete disciplines, notably mathematics, physics, chemistry, ethics, aesthetics, ontology, and theology.
Definition of perfect in the English dictionary
The first definition of perfect in the dictionary is having all essential elements. Other definition of perfect is unblemished; faultless. Perfect is also correct or precise.
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO PERFECT
PRESENT
Present
I perfect
you perfect
he/she/it perfects
we perfect
you perfect
they perfect
Present continuous
I am perfecting
you are perfecting
he/she/it is perfecting
we are perfecting
you are perfecting
they are perfecting
Present perfect
I have perfected
you have perfected
he/she/it has perfected
we have perfected
you have perfected
they have perfected
Present perfect continuous
I have been perfecting
you have been perfecting
he/she/it has been perfecting
we have been perfecting
you have been perfecting
they have been perfecting
Present tense is used to refer to circumstances that exist at the present time or over a period that includes the present time. The present perfect refers to past events, although it can be considered to denote primarily the resulting present situation rather than the events themselves.
PAST
Past
I perfected
you perfected
he/she/it perfected
we perfected
you perfected
they perfected
Past continuous
I was perfecting
you were perfecting
he/she/it was perfecting
we were perfecting
you were perfecting
they were perfecting
Past perfect
I had perfected
you had perfected
he/she/it had perfected
we had perfected
you had perfected
they had perfected
Past perfect continuous
I had been perfecting
you had been perfecting
he/she/it had been perfecting
we had been perfecting
you had been perfecting
they had been perfecting
Past tense forms express circumstances existing at some time in the past,
FUTURE
Future
I will perfect
you will perfect
he/she/it will perfect
we will perfect
you will perfect
they will perfect
Future continuous
I will be perfecting
you will be perfecting
he/she/it will be perfecting
we will be perfecting
you will be perfecting
they will be perfecting
Future perfect
I will have perfected
you will have perfected
he/she/it will have perfected
we will have perfected
you will have perfected
they will have perfected
Future perfect continuous
I will have been perfecting
you will have been perfecting
he/she/it will have been perfecting
we will have been perfecting
you will have been perfecting
they will have been perfecting
The future is used to express circumstances that will occur at a later time.
CONDITIONAL
Conditional
I would perfect
you would perfect
he/she/it would perfect
we would perfect
you would perfect
they would perfect
Conditional continuous
I would be perfecting
you would be perfecting
he/she/it would be perfecting
we would be perfecting
you would be perfecting
they would be perfecting
Conditional perfect
I would have perfect
you would have perfect
he/she/it would have perfect
we would have perfect
you would have perfect
they would have perfect
Conditional perfect continuous
I would have been perfecting
you would have been perfecting
he/she/it would have been perfecting
we would have been perfecting
you would have been perfecting
they would have been perfecting
Conditional or «future-in-the-past» tense refers to hypothetical or possible actions.
IMPERATIVE
Imperative
you perfect
we let´s perfect
you perfect
The imperative is used to form commands or requests.
NONFINITE VERB FORMS
Past participle
perfected
Present Participle
perfecting
Infinitive shows the action beyond temporal perspective. The present participle or gerund shows the action during the session. The past participle shows the action after completion.
WORDS THAT RHYME WITH PERFECT
Synonyms and antonyms of perfect in the English dictionary of synonyms
SYNONYMS OF «PERFECT»
The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «perfect» and belong to the same grammatical category.
Translation of «perfect» into 25 languages
TRANSLATION OF PERFECT
Find out the translation of perfect to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of perfect from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «perfect» in English.
Translator English — Chinese
完美的
1,325 millions of speakers
Translator English — Spanish
perfecto
570 millions of speakers
English
perfect
510 millions of speakers
Translator English — Hindi
सही
380 millions of speakers
Translator English — Arabic
تَامٌ
280 millions of speakers
Translator English — Russian
совершенный
278 millions of speakers
Translator English — Portuguese
perfeito
270 millions of speakers
Translator English — Bengali
নির্ভুল
260 millions of speakers
Translator English — French
perfect
220 millions of speakers
Translator English — Malay
Sempurna
190 millions of speakers
Translator English — German
perfekt
180 millions of speakers
Translator English — Japanese
完璧な
130 millions of speakers
Translator English — Korean
완벽한
85 millions of speakers
Translator English — Javanese
sempurno
85 millions of speakers
Translator English — Vietnamese
hoàn thiện
80 millions of speakers
Translator English — Tamil
சரியான
75 millions of speakers
Translator English — Marathi
परिपूर्ण
75 millions of speakers
Translator English — Turkish
mükemmel
70 millions of speakers
Translator English — Italian
perfetto
65 millions of speakers
Translator English — Polish
doskonały
50 millions of speakers
Translator English — Ukrainian
досконалий
40 millions of speakers
Translator English — Romanian
perfect
30 millions of speakers
Translator English — Greek
τέλειος
15 millions of speakers
Translator English — Afrikaans
perfekte
14 millions of speakers
Translator English — Swedish
perfekt
10 millions of speakers
Translator English — Norwegian
perfekt
5 millions of speakers
Trends of use of perfect
TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «PERFECT»
The term «perfect» is very widely used and occupies the 1.330 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
FREQUENCY
Very widely used
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «perfect» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of perfect
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «perfect».
FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «PERFECT» OVER TIME
The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «perfect» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «perfect» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.
Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about perfect
10 QUOTES WITH «PERFECT»
Famous quotes and sentences with the word perfect.
I knew Scotty was going to win. At the beginning of the episode, I was like, ‘Scotty, are you ready to win?’. I knew he was going to in my heart. I accepted it. I couldn’t pick a more perfect person to get second place to. He’s my best friend.
I don’t really drink sodas, but when I have popcorn or pizza I need a little. It’s the perfect combination.
For this is our most perfect duty and yet least known to us by nature: Whatever we conceive or will should be joined with the good of our neighbor.
I guess in America we’re so sold on this ideal of the perfect, well-adjusted family that is able to confront any conflict and, with true love and understanding, work things through. I’m sure they do exist, but I never knew any of them.
Growing up in a Jewish matriarchal world inside the patriarchal paradise of Salt Lake City, Utah, gave me increased perspective on gender issues, as it also did my gay brother and my lesbian sister. Our younger sister is the perfect Jewish-American wife and mother, and is fiercely proud of that fact.
Yeah, I think A Confederacy of Dunces is probably the perfect New Orleans book.
Every season has its lipstick trend, and just because your perfect color is a pinky beige, that doesn’t mean you can’t wear deep burgundy.
Why, when we know that there’s no such thing as perfect, do most of us spend an incredible amount of time and energy trying to be everything to everyone? Is it that we really admire perfection? No — the truth is that we are actually drawn to people who are real and down-to-earth. We love authenticity and we know that life is messy and imperfect.
If someone is too perfect they won’t look good. Imperfection is important.
Perfect numbers like perfect men are very rare.
10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «PERFECT»
Discover the use of perfect in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to perfect and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
Depicting with humor and insight the pressure to be outwardly perfect, this novel for ages 10-13 shows how one girl develops compassion for her own and others’ imperfections.
Overcoming a turbulent childhood, lovely Hillary Spencer finds romance with the man of her dreams in a most unlikely place
For her, perfect means rejecting their ideals to take a chance on a new kind of love. Kendra covets the perfect face and body—no matter what surgeries and drugs she needs to get there.
. That way lies dancing to the melodies spun out by your own heart.” At the core of this beautiful book lies the secret of authentic success, the inspiration to embrace your own uniqueness and live the life that is undeniably your own, …
5
The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea
Presents a vivid account of a history-making storm that hit the New England coast in October 1991 and the lives it changed, weaving together the history of the fishing industry, the science of storms, and personal accounts. Tour.
Now, with the help of Jaine’s neighbour, an unpredictable police detective, the puzzle must be solved — and time is running out as a deadly stalker targets the three remaining friends, and the dream of Mr Perfect becomes a chilling …
7
Perfect.: The Encyclopedia of Perfection
While the execution of perfection depends on the subject in question, the result is always the same—complete satisfaction. This intriguing collection of what qualifies as perfection covers quite the array of topics.
8
Pitch Perfect (movie tie-in): The Quest for Collegiate A …
Sure to strikea chord with fans of Glee and The Sing-Off, this raucous story of a cappella rock stars shows that sometimes, to get that perfect harmony, you have to embrace a little discord.
9
Everything Bad is Good for You
After reading Everything Bad is Good for You, you will never regard the glow of the video game or television screen the same way again. With a new afterword by the author.
But at what price will «perfection» be attained? Brad Cain, better known as «Lodi,» in professional wrestling circles, is a graduate of East Carolina University.
10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «PERFECT»
Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term perfect is used in the context of the following news items.
GTAV’s Trevor Is The Perfect Joker
The the psychopathic behaviour, the lovable streak that endures in spite of it, the manic laughter…Grand Theft Auto V’s Trevor and The Joker … «Kotaku, Jul 15»
Go global to build the perfect portfolio
Let’s talk about how to build the perfect portfolio – which, no offence intended, probably looks nothing at all like the one you currently hold. «The Globe and Mail, Jul 15»
These 5 simple steps are the keys to a perfect summer clambake
A traditional New England clambake involves layering seaweed, rocks, and seafood in a big bonfire pit in the sand, which, for a first-timer, … «Business Insider, Jul 15»
How not to be perfect
Perfect is the ultimate praise. But trying to attain perfection can cause stress, hinder efficiency and create unnecessary conflicts. Perfectionists … «Minneapolis Star Tribune, Jul 15»
Bo Dallas Would Be Perfect Fit for the Wyatt Family
Luke Harper is a perfect fit based solely off his outlandish looks, but Dallas can work as a member from a storyline standpoint and complete the … «Bleacher Report, Jul 15»
This Map Of American Literature Road Trips Is Perfect For Summer
If you haven’t picked your summer vacation yet, might I suggest one of these thoroughly-catalogued road trips from some of America’s greatest … «Jalopnik, Jul 15»
David Ross provides Cubs’ highlights with perfect inning, home run
Joe Maddon walked over to catcher David Ross in the dugout before the ninth inning Sunday and asked him if he wanted to make his Wrigley … «Chicago Tribune, Jul 15»
‘It’s a perfect thing for us to do’: Soccer match honours fallen EPS …
“Dan loved soccer, or football as we call it, so it’s perfect. It’s a perfect thing for us to do.” Joined by her young boys, Gabe and Callen, Claire … «Globalnews.ca, Jul 15»
Belle and Sebastian share video for ‘Perfect Couples’
Belle and Sebastian have shared a video for ‘Perfect Couples’, a track taken from recently-released album ‘Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance’. «DIY Magazine, Jul 15»
Rob Gronkowski Ranks No. 1 At TE, Has Nearly Perfect Score In …
1 At TE, Has Nearly Perfect Score In ‘Madden NFL 2016′. by Cameron … Aaron Rodgers came in first with a perfect 99. So Gronk now owns … «NESN.com, Jul 15»
REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Perfect [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/perfect>. Apr 2023 ».
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[ adjective, noun pur-fikt; verb per-fekt ]
/ adjective, noun ˈpɜr fɪkt; verb pərˈfɛkt /
This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
adjective
conforming absolutely to the description or definition of an ideal type: a perfect sphere;a perfect gentleman.
excellent or complete beyond practical or theoretical improvement: There is no perfect legal code.The proportions of this temple are almost perfect.
exactly fitting the need in a certain situation or for a certain purpose: a perfect actor to play Mr. Micawber;a perfect saw for cutting out keyholes.
entirely without any flaws, defects, or shortcomings: a perfect apple;the perfect crime.
accurate, exact, or correct in every detail: a perfect copy.
pure or unmixed: perfect yellow.
unmitigated; out-and-out; of an extreme degree: He made a perfect fool of himself.
Botany.
- having all parts or members present.
- monoclinous.
Grammar.
- noting an action or state brought to a close prior to some temporal point of reference, in contrast to imperfect or incomplete action.
- designating a tense or other verb formation or construction with such meaning.
Music.
- of or noting the consonances of unison, octave, and fifth, as distinguished from those of the third and sixth. Compare imperfect (def. 6).
- of or noting the intervals, harmonic or melodic, of an octave, fifth, and fourth in their normal form, as opposed to augmented and diminished.
Mathematics. (of a set) equal to its set of accumulation points.
Obsolete. assured or certain.
noun Grammar.
verb (used with object)
to bring to completion; finish.
to bring to perfection; make flawless or faultless: He has succeeded in perfecting his recipe for chicken Kiev.
to bring nearer to perfection; improve; make better: She works hard to perfect her writing.
to make fully skilled.
Printing. to print the reverse of (a printed sheet).
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Which sentence is correct?
Origin of perfect
First recorded in 1250–1300; from Latin perfectus, past participle of perficere “to finish, bring to completion” (per-per- + -fec-, combining form of facere “to make, do” (see do1) + -tus past participle suffix); replacing Middle English parfit, from Old French, from Latin as above
usage note for perfect
A few usage guides still object to the use of comparison words such as more, most, nearly, almost, and rather with perfect on the grounds that perfect describes an absolute, yes-or-no condition that cannot logically be said to exist in varying degrees. The English language has never agreed to this limitation. Since its earliest use in the 13th century, perfect has, like almost all adjectives, been compared, first in the now obsolete forms perfecter and perfectest, and more recently with more, most, and similar comparison words: the most perfect arrangement of color and line imaginable. Perfect is compared in most of its general senses in all varieties of speech and writing. After all, one of the objectives of the writers of the U.S. Constitution was “to form a more perfect union.” See also complete, unique.
OTHER WORDS FROM perfect
per·fect·ed·ly, adverbper·fect·er, nounper·fect·ness, nounnon·per·fect·ed, adjective
quasi-perfect, adjectivequa·si-per·fect·ly, adverbself-per·fect·ing, adjectivesu·per·per·fect, adjectivesu·per·per·fect·ly, adverbun·per·fect, adjectiveun·per·fect·ed, adjective
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH perfect
perfect , prefect
Words nearby perfect
Perez Esquivel, Pérez Galdós, Perez-Reverte, perf., perfboard, perfect, perfecta, perfect binding, perfect cadence, perfect competition, perfect continuous
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
WHEN TO USE
What are other ways to say perfect?
Something that is perfect conforms to an ideal or is entirely without flaws, defects, or shortcomings. How does perfect compare to synonyms entire, intact, and complete? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Words related to perfect
excellent, foolproof, ideal, impeccable, pure, splendid, superb, flawless, full, simple, appropriate, exact, precise, proper, suitable, true, accomplish, carry out, cultivate, develop
How to use perfect in a sentence
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However, many other hospitals in other parts of Virginia, including the 11 Sentara hospital group hospitals, received perfect 100 percent scores, the report shows.
-
Seven years after its founding, Snowflake had perfected an amazing new way to run databases on cloud servers, but it was struggling to attract enough big corporate customers.
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So, having that public accountability, about what they think — and no one’s gonna be perfect on it — helps a lot.
-
Oddly enough, it’s a perfect time to offer this, and I think it answers a demand, which is beauty brands by women of color.
-
Big Pharma is far from perfect—for example, there may be outlier companies that have charged rapacious prices on drugs.
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Estee Lauder has not crumbled to dust because the perfect brown face of Joan Smalls represents it.
-
The Perfect Storm writer talks combat brotherhood and the threat posed by growing wealth inequality.
-
So perfect that we wonder if we should risk ruining it by asking for yet another take.
-
The Oscar-winning actress put nude photo thieves in their place with one perfect statement.
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In our headlong quest for a legally perfect society, we don’t take the time to take stock of what‘s been created so far.
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The afternoon was a lovely one—the day was a perfect example of the mellowest mood of autumn.
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In the most perfect stillness, we arrived within two hundred paces of the enemy’s camp.
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But if the Bible was written by men, some of them more or less inspired, then it would not, in all probability be wholly perfect.
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Even genius, however, needs direction and adjustment to secure the most perfect and reliable results.
-
We stood staring after the fugitives in perfect bewilderment, totally unable to explain their apparently causeless panic.
British Dictionary definitions for perfect
adjective (ˈpɜːfɪkt)
having all essential elements
unblemished; faultlessa perfect gemstone
correct or preciseperfect timing
utter or absolutea perfect stranger
excellent in all respectsa perfect day
maths exactly divisible into equal integral or polynomial roots36 is a perfect square
botany
- (of flowers) having functional stamens and pistils
- (of plants) having all parts present
grammar denoting a tense of verbs used in describing an action that has been completed by the subject. In English this is a compound tense, formed with have or has plus the past participle
music
- of or relating to the intervals of the unison, fourth, fifth, and octave
- Also: full, final (of a cadence) ending on the tonic chord, giving a feeling of conclusionCompare imperfect (def. 6)
archaic positive certain, or assured
noun (ˈpɜːfɪkt)
grammar
- the perfect tense
- a verb in this tense
verb (pəˈfɛkt) (tr)
to make perfect; improve to one’s satisfactionhe is in Paris to perfect his French
to make fully accomplished
printing to print the reverse side of (a printed sheet of paper)
Derived forms of perfect
perfectness, noun
Word Origin for perfect
C13: from Latin perfectus, from perficere to perform, from per through + facere to do
usage for perfect
For most of its meanings, the adjective perfect describes an absolute state, i.e. one that cannot be qualified; thus something is either perfect or not perfect, and cannot be more perfect or less perfect. However when perfect means excellent in all respects, a comparative can be used with it without absurdity: the next day the weather was even more perfect
Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
совершенствовать, идеальный, совершенный, перфект
глагол ↓
- совершенствовать, улучшать
to perfect an invention [plan] — улучшать изобретение [план] 
- совершенствоваться
to perfect oneself in some art — совершенствоваться в каком-л. искусстве
- завершать, заканчивать, выполнять
the plan was perfected in April — план был закончен в апреле
- полигр. печатать на оборотной стороне листа
прилагательное ↓
- совершенный, безупречный, идеальный, прекрасный
perfect beauty — совершенная красота
perfect actress — замечательная актриса
perfect person — идеальный человек
perfect specimen — прекрасный образчик
a perfect place for our picnic — идеальное место для нашего пикника
to be perfect in everything — быть во всём безупречным /совершенным/
it’s perfect! — разг. это изумительно!
- полный
he is a perfect stranger to me — я его совершенно не знаю
perfect silence — полная тишина
perfect cleavage — мин. совершенная спайность
perfect combustion — тех. полное сгорание
perfect fourth [fifth, octave] — муз. чистая кварта [квинта, октава]
perfect cadence — муз. совершенный каданс
- точный
perfect reproduction [imitation] — точное воспроизведение [подражание]
perfect copy — точная копия
- чистый, без примесей
perfect yellow — чистый жёлтый цвет
- законченный, полный, абсолютный
perfect bliss — полное /абсолютное/ блаженство
- хорошо подготовленный, достигший совершенства (в какой-л. области)
to have a perfect knowledge of smth. — знать что-л. в совершенстве
to have one’s lessons perfect — прекрасно выучить урок
perfect mastery — высшее мастерство
- разг. приятный, чудесный
a perfect day! — а) чудный день!; б) прекрасно проведённый день!
- эмоц.-усил. совершенный, настоящий
in perfect sincerity — совершенно откровенно, с полной откровенностью
perfect idiot /fool/ — форменный дурак
perfect nonsense — абсолютная чепуха
she is a perfect fright — она настоящая уродина
- полигр. бесшвейный (о переплёте)
perfect binding — бесшвейное скрепление (листов)
- грам. перфектный
perfect form — совершенная форма
существительное
- грам. перфект
Мои примеры
Словосочетания
Примеры с переводом
I felt a perfect idiot.
Я чувствовал себя полным идиотом.
Practice makes perfect.
Повторение — мать учения. (пословица)
His English was perfect.
Он безупречно говорил по-английски.
He is a perfect dear.
Он просто душка.
They’re a perfect match.
Они идеальная пара. / Они идеально подходят друг другу.
A perfect babel!
Сущая неразбериха!
What a perfect Hebe!
Какое прелестное создание!
ещё 23 примера свернуть
Примеры, ожидающие перевода
The building has perfect symmetry. 
The dancers executed perfect twirls.
The quarterback made a perfect throw.
Для того чтобы добавить вариант перевода, кликните по иконке ☰, напротив примера.
Возможные однокоренные слова
imperfect — несовершенный, неполный, дефектный, имперфект
perfectible — способный к совершенствованию
perfection — совершенство, совершенствование, безупречность, завершение, верх, законченность
perfectly — отлично, совершенно, вполне, в совершенстве
perfective — совершенный
perfecting — совершенствование, завершение
Формы слова
verb
I/you/we/they: perfect
he/she/it: perfects
ing ф. (present participle): perfecting
2-я ф. (past tense): perfected
3-я ф. (past participle): perfected