Dictionary

complaisant en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /kəmˈpleɪsənt/ (US)
• /kəmˈpleɪsənt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /kəmˈpleɪzənt/ (US)
• (General-American) audio

Etymology

From French complaisant (“willing to please”), from complaire, from Latin complacēre (“please well”), from com- (“with”) + placeō (“please”).

Meanings

1. Compliant.
2. Willing to do what pleases others; obliging; agreeable.
   • Replay our conversation You threw your accusations I'm always so complaisant I never change the station 2015 May 12, Rachel Platten, Jon Levine, Scott Jacoby, “Congratulations”, in Fight Song, performed by Rachel Platten:
3. (archaic) Polite; showing respect.
   • 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. 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:

Forms

Coordinates

obsequious

Deriveds

complaisantness · uncomplaisant · complaisantly

Relateds

complaisance

Synonyms

biddable · indulgent · civilized · governable · cultivated · correct · compliant · reasonable · rulable · civil · tractable · controllable · passive · tractable · meek · courteous · amenable · well-bred · fair-mannered · amenable · complaisant · urbane · well-mannered · docile · genteel · fair-mannered · pliant · complaisant · yielding · polite · politic · manageable · well-behaved · polished · mannerly · gracious · complaisant · maniable · civil · refined · respectful

Translations (36)

pl miły (compliant) · bg вежлив (polite) · nl willig (willing to do what pleases others) · eo bonmaniera (polite) · eo komplezema (willing to do what pleases others) · nl welwillend (willing to do what pleases others) · sv foglig (compliant) · sv artig (polite) · eo ĝentila (polite) · bg любезен (willing to do what pleases others) · nb velvillig (willing to do what pleases others) · nl voldoend (aan) (compliant) · es complaciente (willing to do what pleases others) · nb villig (willing to do what pleases others) · de gefällig (willing to do what pleases others) · eo cedema (compliant) · bg внимателен (willing to do what pleases others) · sv tillmötesgående (willing to do what pleases others) · es complacedero (willing to do what pleases others) · bg отстъпчив (compliant) · nl vriendelijk (polite) · es complacedero (compliant) · nl passend (compliant) · de entgegenkommend (willing to do what pleases others) · es complacedor (willing to do what pleases others) · nl respectvol (polite) · pl grzeczny (polite) · de wohlwollend (willing to do what pleases others) · nl tegemoetkomend (willing to do what pleases others) · nb føyelig (compliant) · es complaciente (compliant) · nb imøtekommende (willing to do what pleases others) · pl usłużny (willing to do what pleases others) · es complacedor (compliant) · fr complaisant (willing to do what pleases others) · nl tegemoetkomend (polite)