compliment

[n. kom-pluh-muh nt; v. kom-pluh-ment] /n. ˈkɒm plə mənt; v. ˈkɒm pləˌmɛnt/
noun
1.
an expression of praise, commendation, or admiration:
A sincere compliment boosts one's morale.
2.
a formal act or expression of civility, respect, or regard:
The mayor paid him the compliment of escorting him.
3.
compliments, a courteous greeting; good wishes; regards:
He sends you his compliments.
4.
Archaic. a gift; present.
verb (used with object)
5.
to pay a compliment to:
She complimented the child on his good behavior.
6.
to show kindness or regard for by a gift or other favor:
He complimented us by giving a party in our honor.
7.
to congratulate; felicitate:
to compliment a prince on the birth of a son.
verb (used without object)
8.
to pay compliments.
Origin
1570-80; < French < Italian complimento < Spanish cumplimiento, equivalent to cumpli- (see comply) + -miento -ment; earlier identical in spelling with complement
Related forms
complimentable, adjective
complimenter, noun
complimentingly, adverb
outcompliment, verb (used with object)
uncomplimented, adjective
uncomplimenting, adjective
Can be confused
complement, compliment (see usage note at complement)
Synonyms
1. kudos, tribute, eulogy, panegyric. 5. commend, praise, honor.
Antonyms
1. disparagement.
Usage note
See complement.
Examples from the web for compliment
  • Being an introvert himself, he took this as the huge compliment it was.
  • It was as if being the underdog was a badge of honor, a compliment.
  • We made our compliment, told him he must let us join our congratulations to those of the nation on the happiness of his house.
  • But calling somebody a cougar is much closer to a compliment than calling them a dinosaur.
  • And to me it's an insult in the form of a compliment.
British Dictionary definitions for compliment

compliment

noun (ˈkɒmplɪmənt)
1.
a remark or act expressing respect, admiration, etc
2.
(usually pl) a greeting of respect or regard
verb (transitive) (ˈkɒmplɪˌmɛnt)
3.
to express admiration of; congratulate or commend
4.
to express or show respect or regard for, esp by a gift
complement
Word Origin
C17: from French, from Italian complimento, from Spanish cumplimiento, from cumplir to complete, do what is fitting, be polite
Word Origin and History for compliment
n.

"An act, or expression of civility, usually understood to include some hypocrisy, and to mean less than it declares" [Johnson], 1570s, complement, via French compliment (17c.), from Italian complimento "expression of respect and civility," from Vulgar Latin *complire, for Latin complere "to complete" (see complete (adj.)), via notion of "complete the obligations of politeness." Same word as complement but by a different etymological route; differentiated by spelling after 1650.

v.

1610s, from French complimenter, from compliment (see compliment (n.)). Related: Complimented; complimenting.

Idioms and Phrases with compliment

compliment

see: