different between better vs perfect

English

Pronunciation

• (non-rhotic accents) IPA^(key): /?b?t?/
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): [?b?t??]
  • (General Australian, General New Zealand) IPA^(key): [?be??]
  • (UK dialects) IPA^(key): [?be??]
• (rhotic accents) IPA^(key): /?b?t??/
  • (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): [?b???]
  • (Ireland) IPA^(key): [?b?t??~?b????~?b?t??]
  • (Scotland) IPA^(key): [?b???~?b????]
• (US)
• Rhymes: -?t?(?)
• Hyphenation: bet?ter

Etymology 1

From Middle English better, bettre, betre, from Old English betera (“better”), from Proto-Germanic *batizô (“better”), from Proto-Indo-European *b?ed-rós, from *b?ed- (“good”). Cognate with Sanskrit ???? (bhadrá, “blessed, fortunate, happy, good”). For Germanic cognates: see Proto-Germanic *batizô. Related to best and battle (“getting better, improving, fruitful, fertile”). Compare also Icelandic batna (“to improve”), bót (“improvement”), German besser. More at batten, boot.

Adjective

better (positive good, adverb well, comparative (humorous) betterer, superlative (humorous) betterest, or (standard) best)

1. comparative form of good: more good
2. comparative form of well: more well
3. Greater in amount or quantity
   • 1972, Harvey Andrews, Hey Sandy

     “The air was still with the lonely thrill of 'now the hour is near'
     And the smell of sweat was better yet than the awful stench of fear.”

Derived terms

Translations

Adverb

better

1. comparative form of well: more well

   The engine runs better now that I've given it some oil.

   • c. 1603, William Shakespeare, Othello, Act I scene iii^[1]:

     I could never better stead thee than now. […]

   • 1901, Louis Couperus, Alexander Teixeira de Mattos (translator), Small Souls,

     “I’ve had enough of cycling with you chaps. I can spend my Sundays better than in tormenting cats and quarrelling and fighting.”

2. Greater or lesser (whichever is seen as more advantageous), in reference to value, distance, time, etc.

   The top electric vehicles have a range of 300 kilometres or better. (better = greater)

   Only one swimmer finished the race with a time better than two minutes. (better = lesser)

3. (Can we clean up⁽⁺⁾ this sense?) (colloquial shortening) Had better.

   You better do that if you know what's good for you.

Derived terms

• better the devil you know
• had better
• 'd better

Translations

Noun

better (plural betters)

1. An entity, usually animate, deemed superior to another; one who has a claim to precedence; a superior.

   He quickly found Ali his better in the ring.

   • 1594, Richard Hooker, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie

     Their betters would hardly be found.

Derived terms

• get the better of

Etymology 2

Shortening of had better ('d better)

Verb

better

1. (modal, auxiliary verb, colloquial) Had better.

   It's getting late. You better get on home.

Usage notes

• Better in this sense has often been considered an adverb. But it is virtually synonymous with should in We better be going. and with ought to in We better go. Should and ought are auxiliary verbs.

See also

• best

Etymology 3

From Middle English beteren, from Old English beterian, betrian, from Proto-Germanic *batiz?n?. Cognate with West Frisian betterje (“to better”), Dutch beteren (“to better”), German bessern (“to better”), Danish bedre (“to better”), Swedish bättra (“to better”).

Verb

better (third-person singular simple present betters, present participle bettering, simple past and past participle bettered)

1. (transitive) To improve.
   • 1815, William Wordsworth, From the same (To the Supreme Being)

     Love betters what is best.

   • He thought to better his circumstances.
2. (intransitive) To become better; to improve.

   This government will better this society

3. (transitive) To surpass in excellence; to exceed; to excel.
   • 1594, Richard Hooker, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie

     The works of nature do always aim at that which can not be bettered.

4. (transitive) To give advantage to; to support; to advance the interest of.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:improve

Derived terms

• betterer
• betterment

Translations

Etymology 4

Alternate pronunciation of bettor or modern formation from the verb to bet.

Noun

better (plural betters)

1. Alternative spelling of bettor

References

• better at OneLook Dictionary Search
• better in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Central Franconian

Alternative forms

• botter, bötter (Eifel)

Etymology

From Old High German bittar

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?bet?/

Adjective

better (masculine bettere, feminine better, comparative betterer, superlative et betterste)

1. (most dialects) bitter

   Proverb:

Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old English betere.

Adjective

better

1. Alternative form of bettre

Adverb

better

1. Alternative form of bettre

Noun

better

1. Alternative form of bettre

Etymology 2

From Old English beterian.

Verb

better

1. Alternative form of beteren

Scots

Etymology

From Middle English bettre, from Old English betera, from Proto-Germanic *batizô.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?b?t?r]

Adjective

better

1. comparative degree of guid

Derived terms

Adverb

better (comparative mair better, superlative maist better)

1. better
2. quite recovered from illness
3. more than

Noun

better (uncountable)

1. that which is better, something better or superior

Verb

better (third-person singular present betters, present participle betterin, past bettert, past participle bettert)

1. to better, improve

West Frisian

Adjective

better

1. inflection of goed:
   1. predicative comparative degree
   2. indefinite neuter singular comparative degree

English

Alternative forms

• perfite (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): /?p??.f?kt/, /?p??.f?kt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?p?f?kt/

Adjective

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

1. Fitting its definition precisely.

2. Having all of its parts in harmony with a common purpose.

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

4. Excellent and delightful in all respects.
5. (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.

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

12. (obsolete) Well informed; certain; sure.

    • I am perfect that the Pannonians and Dalmatians for their liberties are now in arms.

13. (obsolete) Innocent, guiltless.

    • My parts, my title, and my perfect soul shall manifest me rightly.

Usage notes

Some authorities proscribe the comparative and superlative forms "more perfect" and "most perfect", on the grounds that perfection is an absolute state. 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

Coordinate terms

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

Derived terms

Related terms

• perfect competition
• perfect market
• perfect number
• perfect pitch
• practice makes perfect

Translations

Noun

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!

Translations

Synonyms

• (grammar): preterperfect

Etymology 2

From perfect (adjective).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /p??f?kt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /p??f?kt/

Verb

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

Synonyms

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

Related terms

• perfecter
• perfectible

Translations

References

Anagrams

• prefect

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch perfect, from Latin perfectus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p?r?f?kt/, /p?r?f?kt/
• Hyphenation: per?fect
• Rhymes: -?kt

Adjective

perfect (comparative perfecter, superlative perfectst)

1. perfect

   Synonym: volmaakt

Inflection

Derived terms

• imperfect
• perfectie

Related terms

• imperfectum
• perfectum

Descendants

• Afrikaans: perfek

Adverb

perfect

1. perfectly

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin perfectus, German perfekt.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [per?fekt]

Adjective

perfect m or n (feminine singular perfect?, masculine plural perfec?i, feminine and neuter plural perfecte)

1. perfect, flawless

Declension

Synonyms

• des?vâr?it

Antonyms

• imperfect
• nedes?vâr?it

Adverb

perfect

1. perfectly, completely

Noun

perfect n (uncountable)

1. perfect tense

Derived terms

• perfect compus
• perfect simplu