Origin: 1250–1300; <
Latin perfectus, past participle of
perficere to finish, bring to completion (
per- per- +
-fec-, combining form of
facere to
do1 +
-tus past participle suffix); replacing
Middle English parfit <
Old French <
Latin as above
Related formsper·fect·ed·ly, adverb
per·fect·er, noun
per·fect·ness, noun
non·per·fect·ed, adjective
qua·si-per·fect, adjective
EXPANDqua·si-per·fect·ly, adverb
self-per·fect·ing, adjective
su·per·per·fect, adjective
su·per·per·fect·ly, adverb
un·per·fect, adjective
un·per·fect·ed, adjective
COLLAPSECan be confused: perfect, prefect (see usage note at
the current entry).
Synonyms 1, 2. See complete. 4. unblemished; faultless.
Usage note 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. EXPANDPerfect 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.
COLLAPSE