different between synergy vs complementary

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ???????? (sunergía, “cooperation”), from ??? (sún, “with, together”) + ????? (érgon, “work”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?s?n?d?i/
• (US) enPR: s?n??r-j?, IPA^(key): /?s?n?d?i/

Noun

synergy (countable and uncountable, plural synergies)

1. (systems theory) A synonym of binding energy.
   • 1986, John Andrew Dillon (Society for General Systems Research). Proceedings of the International Conference on Mental Images, Values, & Reality. Vol. 1, Intersystems Publications, p. D-7

     Depending on the initial condition of the system (initial alphabet and number of elements) the co-evolution of nested local and global hierarchies continues until the system reaches a maximum value of complexity. At least for nuclear systems a quantitative variable called "complexity" can be defined, which increases in an irreversible manner during stellar evolution (Winiwarter, 1983). This variable C is composed of an informational measure I describing the variety of the computed formulas and an energetic measure R describing the relative binding energy or "synergy" permitting the coherence of the system.

   • 2009, J.-C. Spender, "Organizational Knowledge, Collective Practice and Penrose Rents", in Michael H. Zack (ed.), Knowledge and Strategy, Routledge, 2009, p. 125

     In short, synergy is the consequence of the energy expended in creating order. It is locked up in the viable system created, be it an organism or a social system. It is at the level of the system. It is not discernible at the level of the system. It is not discernible at the level of the system's components. Whenever the system is dismembered to examine its components, this binding energy dissipates. An ordered library offers systemic possibilities, such as rapid search, selection, and aggregation, that cannot be explained by looking at the books themselves. These possibilities only exist because of the investment made in defining and creating interrelations between the books, their physical arrangement and the catalogues.

2. (physiology) The cooperation of two or more nerves, muscles, organs, etc.

   the digestive synergy

3. (pharmacology) The combined action of two or more drugs where the effects are stronger than their mere sum.
4. (figuratively) Benefits resulting from combining different groups, people, objects or processes.

Synonyms

• binding energy (in systems theory)

Antonyms

• asynergy (absence of synergy)
• antisynergy

Related terms

Translations

Further reading

• synergy on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• synergy in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• synergy in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

References

English

Etymology

complement +? -ary

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?k?mpl???m?nt(?)?i/
• (General American) enPR: k?m'pl?-m?n?t?-r?, -tr?, IPA^(key): /?k?mpl???m?nt(?)?i/
• Homophone: complimentary
• Rhymes: -?nt??i, -?nt?i
• Hyphenation: com?ple?men?ta?ry

Adjective

complementary (comparative more complementary, superlative most complementary)

1. Acting as a complement; making up a whole with something else.

   • Using the terminology we intro-
     duced earlier, we might then say that black and white squares are in comple-
     mentary distribution on a chess-board. By this we mean two things: firstly,
     black squares and white squares occupy different positions on the board: and
     secondly, the black and white squares complement each other in the sense that
     the black squares together with the white squares comprise the total set of 64
     squares found on the board (i.e. there is no square on the board which is not
     either black or white).

2. (genetics) Of the specific pairings of the bases in DNA and RNA.
3. (physics) Pertaining to pairs of properties in quantum mechanics that are inversely related to each other, such as speed and position, or energy and time. (See also Heisenberg uncertainty principle.)

Usage notes

• Complementary and complimentary are frequently confused and misused in place of one another.

Derived terms

Related terms

• complemental

Translations

Noun

complementary (plural complementaries)

1. A complementary colour.
2. (obsolete) One skilled in compliments.
3. An angle which adds with another to equal 90 degrees.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Ben Jonson to this entry?)

Translations

Further reading

• complementary in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• complementary in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.