The action of adding something extra to complete or enhance something else. In medical contexts, it often refers to taking vitamins, minerals, or other nutrients beyond normal dietary intake.
From Latin 'supplementum' meaning 'something added to complete' from 'supplere' (to fill up, complete). The suffix '-ation' indicates the process or result of an action. The word entered English in the 17th century.
The concept of supplementation reflects humanity's ancient understanding that sometimes we need more than what nature readily provides. Interestingly, the practice of dietary supplementation has roots in naval history, where sailors took lime juice to prevent scurvy, making 'supplementation' literally a matter of life and death on long voyages.
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