perfect

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.

adj

1. Fitting its definition precisely.
   a perfect circle
2. Having all of its parts in harmony with a common purpose.
   That bucket with the hole in the bottom is a poor bucket, but it is perfect for watering plants.
3. Without fault or mistake; without flaw, of supreme quality.
   1. (of a copy) Exact, correctly reflecting the original in all aspects.
      The expert forger made a perfect copy of the victim's driver's license
   2. (of an actor) Having thoroughly learned or memorized a part.
   3. (obsolete outside set of phrases) Of a person: having thoroughly learned or memorized a lesson; of a lesson: having been thoroughly learned or memorized.
      Practice makes perfect.
      word-perfect, letter-perfect
   4. (obsolete) Fully trained or very knowledgeable; highly skilled
4. Excellent and delightful in all respects.
   a perfect day
5. Morally or spiritually immaculate or ideal.
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. (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.
10. (mathematical analysis) Of a set: equal to its set of limit points, i.e. set A is perfect if A=A'.
11. (music) Describing an interval or any compound interval of a unison, octave, or fourths and fifths that are not tritones.
12. (of a cocktail) Made with equal parts of sweet and dry vermouth.
    a perfect Manhattan; a perfect Rob Roy
13. (obsolete) Well informed; certain; sure.
14. (obsolete) Innocent, guiltless; without blemish.
15. (obsolete) Sane, of sound mind.

noun

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.
   Awarded for scoring all Perfects in the Dominator rank! 2007, Barbara Smith, Chad Yancey, Video Game Achievements and Unlockables, page 17
   […] a table of all the ratings that each player has achieved, giving you several scoring options based on player feedback (I simply record the number of perfects). 2007, Eli Neiburger, Gamers-- in the Library?!
3. (historical, Christianity) A leader of the Cathar movement.

Etymology 2

From perfect (adjective).

verb

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