Perfect Definition & Meaning

American

British

Usage

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms perfect American [pur-fikt, per-fekt] / ˈpɜr fɪkt, pərˈfɛkt /

adjective

1. matching in every detail the definition of an ideal type of something.

   Even a ball bearing is not a perfect sphere.

   Your son is a perfect gentleman!

2. excellent or complete beyond practical or theoretical improvement.

   There is no perfect legal code.

   The proportions of this temple are almost perfect.

3. exactly fitting the need in a certain situation or for a certain purpose.

   He is the perfect actor to play Mr. Micawber.

   I have the perfect saw for cutting out keyholes.

4. entirely without any flaws, defects, or shortcomings.

   She chose a perfect apple from the bowl.

   It was very nearly the perfect crime—next to impossible for detectives to solve.

   Synonyms: picture-perfect , faultless , flawless

5. accurate, exact, or correct in every detail.

   I’ll email you a perfect copy when revisions are complete.

6. thorough or complete; absolute; utter.

   A week ago we were perfect strangers, and already we’ve become friends.

   He made a perfect fool of himself.

7. expert; accomplished; proficient.

   She will need a perfect driving teacher.

8. pure or unmixed.

   perfect yellow.

9. Botany.

   1. having all parts or members present.

   2. monoclinous.

10. Grammar. designating a verb aspect or other verb category used for an action or state that is or will be complete as of some point of reference in time, and that is thought of with regard to its relevance or effect for that time.

11. Music.

    1. of or designating the consonances of unison, octave, and fifth, as distinguished from those of the third and sixth.

    2. of or designating the intervals, harmonic or melodic, of an octave, fifth, and fourth in their normal form, as opposed to augmented and diminished.

12. Mathematics. (of a set) equal to its set of accumulation points.

13. Obsolete. assured or certain.

noun

Grammar.

1. 1. a verb aspect or other verb category used for an action or state that is or will be complete as of some point of reference in time, and that is thought of with regard to its relevance or effect for that time.

   2. an instance or form of a verb in this aspect, as in I have washed the dishes, so can I go now? or By the time I arrived they had finished breakfast.

verb (used with object)

1. to bring to perfection; make flawless or faultless.

   He has succeeded in perfecting his recipe for chicken Kiev.

2. to bring nearer to perfection; improve; make better.

   She works hard to perfect her writing.

3. to make fully skilled.

4. to bring to completion; finish.

   Nietzsche believed that the emergence of the Superman would perfect the evolution of the human race.

5. Printing. to print the reverse of (a printed sheet).

perfect British

adjective

1. having all essential elements

2. unblemished; faultless

   a perfect gemstone

3. correct or precise

   perfect timing

4. utter or absolute

   a perfect stranger

5. excellent in all respects

   a perfect day

6. maths exactly divisible into equal integral or polynomial roots

   36 is a perfect square

7. botany

   1. (of flowers) having functional stamens and pistils

   2. (of plants) having all parts present

8. 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

9. music

   1. of or relating to the intervals of the unison, fourth, fifth, and octave

   2. Also: full. final. (of a cadence) ending on the tonic chord, giving a feeling of conclusion Compare imperfect

10. archaic positive certain, or assured

"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

noun

1. grammar

   1. the perfect tense

   2. a verb in this tense

"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

verb

1. to make perfect; improve to one's satisfaction

   he is in Paris to perfect his French

2. to make fully accomplished

3. printing to print the reverse side of (a printed sheet of paper)

"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

Usage

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.

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

Other Word Forms

• nonperfected adjective
• perfectedly adverb
• perfecter noun
• perfectness noun
• quasi-perfect adjective
• quasi-perfectly adverb
• self-perfecting adjective
• superperfect adjective
• superperfectly adverb
• unperfect adjective
• unperfected adjective

Etymology

Origin of perfect

First recorded in 1250–1300; from Latin perfectus “finished,” past participle of perficere “to finish, bring to completion,” from per- per- + -fecere, combining form of facere “to do, make” ( do 1 ); replacing Middle English parfit, from Old French, from Latin, as above

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Ideally you should be 21 to hear these jokes,” he says in the routine, “but in a perfect world we’d all be 21. Forever.”

From The Wall Street Journal

With its mild weather and acres of empty land, turn-of-the-20th century L.A. was perfect for two burgeoning industries: flight and film.

From Los Angeles Times

“I was not looking for people to be singing in any perfect way,” Guðnadóttir explains.

From Los Angeles Times

“Historically, late year markets are slightly more favorable, but only by enough to reward those who are already participating, not those waiting for a postcard perfect entry.”

From Barron's

Australia concedes the ban will be far from perfect at the outset, and some underage users will fall through the cracks as issues are ironed out.

From Barron's

Related Words

• accomplish
• carry out
• cultivate
• develop
• hone
• improve
• realize
• refine

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.