DictionaryAI

compliment

KOM-pluh-muhnt/ˈkɑmpləmənt/UKKOM-pli-muhnt/ˈkɒmplɪmənt/

Pluralcompliments

Verbcompliments, complimenting, complimented

Often confused with complement

3 meanings of compliment

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountable
    Kind words that praise someone, congratulate them, or show respect for them.

    My teacher paid me a compliment on my drawing.

    She gets lots of compliments on her new haircut.

    Similartribute, accolade, commendation

    Oppositeinsult

    Note
  2. 2
    verbtransitive or intransitive
    To say something nice about someone or to them.

    Did anyone compliment you on your new shoes?

    My grandpa doesn't compliment often, so his praise means a lot.

    Similarpraise, commend, congratulate, flatter

    Oppositeinsult

    Note
  3. 3
    noununcountable
    Nice, polite words that praise someone, sometimes more than they deserve.

    Grandpa had no time for compliment and just said what he thought.

    The speech was mostly polite compliment, with very little real news.

    Similarflattery, praise

    Oppositecriticism

    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of compliment apart? Answer 4 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1, 3

It came into English from French, which took it from Italian, which took it from Spanish cumplimiento, from a verb meaning "to do what is proper".

Meaning 2

It comes from the French verb complimenter, made from the noun compliment.