complaisant
English
editEtymology
editFrom French complaisant (“willing to please”), from complaire, from Latin complacēre, present active infinitive of complaceō (“please well”), from com- (“with”) + placeō (“please”).
Pronunciation
edit- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /kəmˈpleɪsənt/
- (US) IPA(key): /kəmˈpleɪsənt/, /kəmˈpleɪzənt/
- Homophone: complacent
Adjective
editcomplaisant (comparative more complaisant, superlative most complaisant)
- Compliant.
- Willing to do what pleases others; obliging; agreeable.
- Synonym: amenable
- Coordinate term: (stronger and more negative) obsequious
- (archaic) Polite; showing respect.
- 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Country Described. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part II (A Voyage to Brobdingnag), pages 222–223:
- The People who had often heard of me, were very curious to croud about the Sedan, and the Girl was complaiſant enough to make the Bearers ſtop, and to take me in her Hand that I might be conveniently ſeen.
Usage notes
edit- Complaisant (and its noun complaisance) should not be confused with complacent (or its noun complacency).
Derived terms
editRelated terms
editTranslations
editcompliant
willing to do what pleases others
|
polite
|
French
editPronunciation
editParticiple
editcomplaisant
Adjective
editcomplaisant (feminine complaisante, masculine plural complaisants, feminine plural complaisantes)
- complaisant, obliging, eager to please
Derived terms
editFurther reading
edit- “complaisant”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
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