perfect

• (abbreviation, grammar): pf.

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.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈpɜː.fɪkt/, /ˈpɜː.fɛkt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈpɝfɪkt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

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

1. Fitting its definition precisely.

   a perfect circle

2. 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.

3. Without fault or mistake; thoroughly skilled or talented.

   Practice makes perfect.

4. 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 752825175, page 030:

     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.

5. (grammar, of a tense or verb form) Representing a completed action.
6. (biology) Sexually mature and fully differentiated.
7. (botany) Of flowers, having both male (stamens) and female (carpels) parts.
8. (mathematical analysis) Of a set, that it is equal to its set of limit points, i.e. set A is perfect if A=A'.
9. (music) Describing an interval or any compound interval of a unison, octave, or fourths and fifths that are not tritones.
10. (of a cocktail) Made with equal parts of sweet and dry vermouth.

    a perfect Manhattan;  a perfect Rob Roy

11. (obsolete) Well informed; certain; sure.
    • (Can we date this quote?) William Shakespeare

      I am perfect that the Pannonians are now in arms.

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".

• (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

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

• (music): augmented
• (music): diminished

• perfect number
• perfect pitch
• practice makes perfect

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.
   • 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).

• (grammar): preterperfect

From perfect (adjective).

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

• Audio (US)

  (file)

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.

   I am going to perfect this article.

   You spend too much time trying to perfect your dancing.

2. (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

• (to make perfect): enhance, hone, improve, optimize

• perfecter
• perfectible

• prefect

• Audio

  (file)

perfect (comparative perfecter, superlative perfectst)

1. perfect

perfect

1. perfectly

Borrowed from Latin perfectus, German perfekt.

• IPA^(key): [perˈfekt]

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

1. perfect, flawless

• desăvârșit

• imperfect
• nedesăvârșit

perfect

1. perfectly, completely

perfect n (uncountable)

1. perfect tense

• perfect compus
• perfect simplu