What does supplied mean?
“Supplied” means provided or made available. It is chiefly the past tense and past participle of “supply,” and it appears in contexts involving goods, materials, information, equipment, or other resources. For example, a charity may supply food and clothing to families, while a manufacturer supplies components to another business. The phrase “supplied with” is especially common: it indicates what someone has been given or made available. “Supplied” can also mean that a business or organization provides something for purchase or distribution. Although it is sometimes used informally in the sense of “gave,” such as in “the vendor supplied us a sample,” that wording can sound adversarial or transactional, especially in American English. In formal contexts, “provided” or “furnished” will usually sound more neutral. As a past participle, “supplied” also forms the passive construction “was supplied with,” as in “Every participant was supplied with the necessary equipment.”
To furnish or provide something needed, requested, or required.
"The rescue team supplied food and drinking water to the stranded hikers."
The past tense and past participle of “supply”; especially common in the passive construction “was supplied with.”
Provided or made available.
"The supplied equipment must be inspected before use."
When used attributively, “supplied” usually precedes the item or person that has been provided.
The word “supplied” traces back to Latin supplere, formed from sub- (“under”) and plere (“fill”), literally suggesting filling something from below.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does supplied come from?
English “supplied” developed from the older word “supply” and has been used in English since the Middle English period. “Supply” was borrowed through Old French from Latin supplere, meaning “to fill up” or “complete.” The Latin word combined sub- (“under”) with plere (“fill”), giving it the underlying idea of filling something up from below.
Related word forms
How supplied is actually used
As a verb form, “supplied” normally functions as the past tense or past participle of “supply.” In formal writing, a passive construction such as “The room was supplied with…” is common.