ENGLISH
REFERENCE

consummate

adj.
C1 Advanced US //ˈkɑnsəˌmeɪt// con·sum·mate Archaic

adj. showing a very high level of skill or perfection. You use this to describe someone who is a complete master of their craft.

adj. showing a high degree of skill and flair; complete or perfect in every respect. Often used attributively to describe professional mastery or personal qualities.


SIMPLE

She is a consummate professional who never misses a deadline.

CONTEXTUAL

The pianist performed with consummate skill, making the most difficult passages look effortless to the audience.

COMPLEX

His reputation as a consummate liar made it impossible for the jury to believe even the verifiable parts of his testimony.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

First attested in the beginning of the 15ᵗʰ century, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English consummat(e) (“(past participle) fulfilled, completed; (adjective) perfect, consummate”), borrowed from Latin cōnsummātus, perfect passive participle of cōnsummō (“to sum up, finish, complete”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from con- (“together”) + summa (“a sum”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix); see sum, summation. Common participial usage up until Early Modern English.

Etymology 2

First attested in c. 1525; either inherited from Middle English *consummaten (only attested in compound tenses) or directly borrowed from Latin consummātus, see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more.

Usage

Typically placed before the noun it modifies. When used as an adjective, the stress is on the first syllable (CON-su-mate).

Pitfall

He is a professional consummate.He is a consummate professional.This adjective almost always precedes the noun it describes rather than following a linking verb.

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