suppletivo

supplementary

adjective soop-pleh-TEE-voh Rare

Origin: From Latin suppletivus, 'serving to fill up'.

Also means

substitute

Usage Note

Suppletivo appears in educational and electoral contexts: esame suppletivo ('make-up exam') and elezione suppletiva ('by-election'). In linguistics it describes suppletive forms (e.g. irregular verb stems). The feminine is suppletiva.

Examples

"Lo studente ha sostenuto l'esame suppletivo."

Natural Translation

The student sat the make-up exam.

Literal Translation

The student has sustained the exam supplementary.

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