LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
verbsecond conjugation

compleō

compleō (present infinitive complēre, perfect active complēvī, supine complētum)
Classical[ˈkɔm.pɫe.oː]Ecclesiastical[ˈkɔm.ple.o]
Mille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. to fill up, fill full, fill out; make up, complete
    Pōculum complēvit et hausit. Aquam et vīnum miscuit. Collāpsus est.He filled the cup and drank it. He mixed water and wine. He collapsed.
  2. to cover, overwhelm
  3. to occupy, set up a garrison (military)
    inter Palatinum Capitolinumque collem [...] complessetoccupied the ground between the Palatine Hill and the Capitoline27 BCE – 25 BCE, Titus Livius, Ab urbe condita I.12
  4. to fill, sate; satisfy
  5. to finish, complete
  6. to fulfil

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

plēnum faciō.
compleō -ēre -plēvī — in Mille Verba, Thermae

Conjugation conjugation 2

active indicative
formpresentimperfectfutureperfectpluperfectfut. perfect
1st sg.compleōcomplēbamcomplēbōcomplēvīcomplēveram
complēram		complēverō
complērō
2nd sg.complēscomplēbāscomplēbiscomplēvistī
complēstī		complēverās
complērās		complēveris
complēris
3rd sg.completcomplēbatcomplēbitcomplēvit
complēt		complēverat
complērat		complēverit
complērit
1st pl.complēmuscomplēbāmuscomplēbimuscomplēvimus
complēmus		complēverāmus
complērāmus		complēverimus
complērimus
2nd pl.complētiscomplēbātiscomplēbitiscomplēvistis
complēstis		complēverātis
complērātis		complēveritis
complēritis
3rd pl.complentcomplēbantcomplēbuntcomplēvērunt
complērunt, complēvēre		complēverant
complērant		complēverint
complērint
active subjunctive
active subjunctive
formpresentimperfectperfectpluperfect
1st sg.compleamcomplēremcomplēverim
complērim		complēvissem
complēssem
2nd sg.compleāscomplērēscomplēverīs
complērīs		complēvissēs
complēssēs
3rd sg.compleatcomplēretcomplēverit
complērit		complēvisset
complēsset
1st pl.compleāmuscomplērēmuscomplēverīmus
complērīmus		complēvissēmus
complēssēmus
2nd pl.compleātiscomplērētiscomplēverītis
complērītis		complēvissētis
complēssētis
3rd pl.compleantcomplērentcomplēverint
complērint		complēvissent
complēssent
passive indicative
passive indicative
formpresentimperfectfuture
1st sg.compleorcomplēbarcomplēbor
2nd sg.complēris
complēre		complēbāris
complēbāre		complēberis
complēbere
3rd sg.complēturcomplēbāturcomplēbitur
1st pl.complēmurcomplēbāmurcomplēbimur
2nd pl.complēminīcomplēbāminīcomplēbiminī
3rd pl.complenturcomplēbanturcomplēbuntur
passive subjunctive
passive subjunctive
formpresentimperfect
1st sg.complearcomplērer
2nd sg.compleāris
compleāre		complērēris
complērēre
3rd sg.compleāturcomplērētur
1st pl.compleāmurcomplērēmur
2nd pl.compleāminīcomplērēminī
3rd pl.compleanturcomplērentur
imperative
imperative
formactivepassive
pres. 2nd sg.complēcomplēre
pres. 2nd pl.complētecomplēminī
fut. 2nd sg.complētōcomplētor
fut. 3rd sg.complētōcomplētor
fut. 2nd pl.complētōte—
fut. 3rd pl.complentōcomplentor
infinitives & participles
infinitives & participles
formactivepassive
present infinitivecomplērecomplērī
perfect infinitivecomplēvisse
complēsse		complētum esse
future infinitivecomplētūrum essecomplētum īrī
present participlecomplēns—
perfect participle—complētus
complēta, complētā, complētae, complētam, complētārum, complētās, complētī, complētōrum, complētōs
future participlecomplētūrus
complētūra, complētūrā, complētūrae, complētūram, complētūrārum, complētūrās, complētūre, complētūrī, complētūrīs, complētūrō, complētūrōrum, complētūrōs, complētūrum		complendus
complenda, complendā, complendae, complendam, complendārum, complendās, complende, complendīs, complendōrum, complendōs
gerundcomplendī, complendō, complendumsupinecomplētum, complētū

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

centum annos complere
to reach one's hundredth year, to live to be a hundred.
complere legiones (B. C. 1. 25)
to fill up the numbers of the legions.

com-plĕo (conp-), ēvi, ētum, 2 (contr. forms: complerunt, complerint, complerat, complesse, etc., for compleverunt, etc., very often), v. a. pleo, whence suppleo, plenus,
I. to fill up, fill full, fill out (class. in prose and poetry).
I. Lit., of material objects.
A. In gen., with acc. of place, vessel, etc., filled.
(a). Alone: hostes fossam complent, Caes. B. G. 5, 40; Auct. B. Hisp. 16; Tac. H. 2, 25: tune aut inane quicquam putes esse, cum ita conpleta et conferta sint omnia, ut, etc., Cic. Ac. 2, 40, 125: metu, ne compleantur navigia, Liv. 41, 3, 2: deducunt socii navis et litora conplent, Verg. A. 3, 71: conplebant Laidos aedes (amatores), Prop. 2, 6, 1: corpora quae loca complerent, occupy space, Lucr. 1, 522: legiones cum loca Camporum complent, id. 2, 324: milites complent murum, Caes. B. G. 7, 27: vigiles domum Flavii complevere, Tac. H. 3, 69; id. A. 15, 33: scrobem ad medium, Col. Arb. 4, 5: non bene urnam, Ov. M. 12, 616: vascula, Quint. 1, 2, 28: paginam, to fill out, write full, Cic. Att. 13, 34 fin.: speluncas, of the winds, Lucr. 6, 197.—
(b). With abl. of material, etc.: fossas sarmentis et virgultis, Caes. B. G. 3, 18: totum prope caelum... humano genere conpletum est, Cic. Tusc. 1, 12, 28: mundum animorum multitudine, id. Div. 2, 58, 119: bestiis omnium gentium circum conplere, Liv. 44, 9, 4: naufragorum trepidatione passim natantium flumen conpleverunt, id. 42, 62, 6: Hispanias Gallias Italiam monumentis ingentium rerum, id. 30, 28, 4: quos (gradus) ubi accusator concitatis hominibus complerat, Cic. Clu. 34, 93: munus Apolline dignum libris, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 217: late loca milite, Verg. A. 2, 495: naves serpentibus, Nep. Hann. 11, 6: amphoras plumbo, id. ib. 9, 3: statuas aëneas pecuniā, id. ib. 9, 3: horrea messibus, Luc. 3, 66: complentur moenia et tecta maerentium turbā, Tac. A. 3, 1: Palatium multitudine et clamoribus complebant, id. ib. 14, 61: virgultibus et cratibus et corporibus exanimis complere lossas, id. ib. 4, 51; cf. also: et terrae... stirpium renovatione complentur, Cic. N. D. 2, 51, 128.—
(g). With gen.: conviviumque vicinorum cottidie conpleo, Cic. Sen. 14, 46: cum completus jam mercatorum carcer esset, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 57, § 147: quae causa... ararum conpleverit urbis, Lucr. 5, 1162.—
B. Esp.
1. In milit. lang.
a. To make the army, a legion, etc., of a full number, to complete, fill up: legiones in itinere, Caes. B. C. 1, 25: cohortes pro numero militum complet, Sall. C. 56, 1; Nep. Milt. 5, 1: legione completā per maniplos, Sil. 8, 119.—
b. To man, fill with men: classem Romanam sociis navalibus, Liv. 24, 11, 9: naves colonis pastoribusque, Caes. B. C. 1, 56; cf.: has (naves) sagittariis tormentisque compleverunt, id. ib. 2, 4: naves bis denas aut plures, Verg. A. 11, 327 Serv.—
2. To fill, impregnate: alias (mulieres), Lucr. 4, 1249; 4, 1275.—
3. Transf., of light, sound, etc. (freq.).
a. To fill with light, maké full: ut cuncta suā luce conpleat (sol), Cic. Rep. 6, 17, 17: mundum suā luce, id. N. D. 2, 46, 119: terras largā luce, id. ib. 2, 19, 43: orbem (luna), Tib. 2, 4, 18: lunae se cornua lumine complent, Verg. A. 3, 645: quod maria ac terras omnis caelumque rigando Conpleat (sol), Lucr. 5, 595.—
b. To fill with sound, cause to resound, etc., to fill, make full: omnia clamoribus, Lucr. 4, 1014: omnia vocibus, id. 5, 1065: nemus querellis, id. 2, 358; cf.: nemus timendā voce, Hor. Epod. 6, 9: aëra tinnitibus et murmure, Ov. M. 14, 537: atria ululatu, id. ib. 5, 153: atria fremitu, id. ib. 5, 3 et saep.: fremitu aequora, Prop. 2, 16 (3, 8), 37: aures (sonus), Cic. Rep. 6, 18, 18; cf. id. Agr. 3, 1, 3: caelum clamore, Sen. Herc. Oet. 798: aures sermonibus, Claud. Cons. Prob. et Olyb. 31: clamor omnia variis terrentium ac paventium vocibus complet, Liv. 5, 21, 11.—
c. Of odors, etc.: omnia primo motu ac spiritu suo, vini, unguenti, corporis odore complesset, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 12, § 31; cf. Veg. Vet. 1, 17, 3. —
4. Transf., to cover, overwhelm: Dianam (i. e. simulacrum) coronis et floribus, i. e. to deck, adorn, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 35, § 77: vortentibus Telebois telis conplebantur corpora, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 95.—
5. To fill, sate with food or drink: multo cibo et potione, Cic. Tusc. 5, 35, 100: se flore Liberi, Plaut. Cist. 1, 2, 8: haec avis scribitur conchis se solere conplere, Cic. N. D. 2, 49, 124.—
II. Trop.
A. To supply fully, furnish abundantly: exercitum omni copiā, Caes. B. C. 2, 25 fin.—
B. To fill with any notion, story, desire, humor, passion: completi sunt animi auresque vestrae, me... obsistere, etc., Cic. Agr. 3, 1, 3: reliquos (milites) bonā spe, Caes. B. C. 2, 21: aliquem gaudio, Cic. Fin. 5, 24, 69: taedio, Quint. 8, 6, 14: animos robore, Luc. 5, 412: omnia luctu, Sall. C. 51, 9: omnia terrore, Liv. 34, 9, 13: cuncta pavore, Curt. 3, 13, 10 al.—With gen.: aliquem erroris et dementiae, Plaut. Am. 1, 2, 9: aliquem flagitii et formidinis, id. Men. 5, 5, 3.—
C. To make complete or perfect, to finish; of a promise, to fulfil it: lustrationem (annuam) menstruo spatio (luna), Cic. N. D. 1, 31, 87; cf. Verg. A. 5, 46: his rebus completis legiones reduci jussit, Caes. B. C. 3, 46 (Dinter, ex conj., comparatis): nocturnum erat sacrum, ita ut ante mediam noctem conpleretur, Liv. 23, 35, 15: studia, Gell. 13, 5: conplent ea beatissimam vitam, Cic. Fin. 5, 24, 71; cf. id. ib. 3, 13, 43; id. Tusc. 5, 16, 47: summam promissi, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 49, § 116: rerum humanarum sorte completā, Curt. 10, 6, 6 al.—
2. Of time, to finish, complete: Gorgias centum et septem conplevit annos, Cic. Sen. 5, 13: cum VII. et LXX. annos complesset, Nep. Att. 21, 1: Corvinus centesimum annum complevit, Val. Max. 8, 13, 1; Lact. Op. Dei, 4, 3; cf.: sua fata, Ov. Tr. 4, 10, 77: sua tempora, id. M. 15, 816: quinque saecula vitae suae, id. ib. 15, 395: materna tempora, i. e. the time of pregnancy, id. ib. 3, 312; cf. id. ib. 11, 311: semel quadrigis, semel desultore misso, vix unius horae tempus utrumque curriculum conplebat, Liv. 44, 9, 4.—Hence, complētus, a, um, P. a. *
A. Prop., filled full, full: alveus Tiberis ruderibus, * Suet. Aug. 30.—
B. Trop., complete, perfect: completus et perfectus verborum ambitus, Cic. Or. 50, 168.—* Comp., Gell. 1, 7, 20.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
  3. Proto-Italic*kom
  4. Proto-Italic*kom-
  5. Latincompleō

Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- Proto-Italic *plēō Latin pleō Latin compleō From con- + pleō.

Elsewhere
  • Italianaccompierefrom Vulgar Latin *accomplēre
  • Italianaccompirefrom Vulgar Latin *accomplīre
  • Catalanacomplirfrom Vulgar Latin *accomplīre
  • Occitanacomplirfrom Vulgar Latin *accomplīre
  • Old Frenchacomplirfrom Vulgar Latin *accomplīre
Italo-Romance
  • Italiancompiere
  • Italiancompire
  • Neapolitancùnchiere
  • Siciliancùnchiri
  • Friuliancompîfrom Venetan conpir
Gallo-Romance
  • Catalancomplir
  • Occitancomplir
  • Old Frenchcompler
  • Franco-Provençalcomplir
  • Franco-Provençalcamplli
  • Old Frenchcomplir
Ibero-Romance
  • Portuguesecumprirfrom Old Galician-Portuguese comprir
  • Spanishcumplirfrom Old Spanish cumplir
  • Aragonesecomplir
  • Aragonesecumplir
  • Aragonesecumpllir
  • Asturiancumplir
  • Galiciancumprirfrom Old Galician-Portuguese comprir
  • Galiciancomprirfrom Old Galician-Portuguese comprir
  • Ladinocumplirfrom Old Spanish cumplir
  • Ladinocumplerfrom Old Spanish cumplir
Insular Romance
  • Sardinianlompiri
  • Sassaresezomperefrom Sassarese clomper
Balkano-Romance
  • Romaniancumpli
Rhaeto-Romance
  • Friuliancomplî
Gallo-Italic
  • Emiliancunpîr
  • Liguriancompî
  • Piedmonteseconpì
  • Romagnolciumpì

Quick answers

What does compleō mean in Latin?
compleō, a verb, means “to fill up, fill full, fill out; make up, complete; to cover, overwhelm”.
What are the principal parts of compleō?
compleō, complēre, complēvī, complētum (second conjugation).
How do you pronounce compleō?
In classical Latin, [ˈkɔm.pɫe.oː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈkɔm.ple.o].
Where does compleō come from?
Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? → Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm → Proto-Italic *kom → Proto-Italic *kom- → Latin compleō.