plaint

[pleynt] /pleɪnt/
noun
1.
a complaint.
2.
Law. a statement of grievance made to a court for the purpose of asking redress.
3.
a lament; lamentation.
Origin
1175-1225; Middle English < Middle French < Latin planctus a striking or beating (the breast) in grief, equivalent to plang(ere) to beat, strike, mourn for + -tus, suffix of v. action
Examples from the web for plaint
  • For the answer to that plaint, put down the bat and turn to the computer.
British Dictionary definitions for plaint

plaint

/pleɪnt/
noun
1.
(archaic) a complaint or lamentation
2.
(law) a statement in writing of grounds of complaint made to a court of law and asking for redress of the grievance
Word Origin
C13: from Old French plainte, from Latin planctus lamentation, from plangere to beat
Word Origin and History for plaint
n.

"expression of sorrow," c.1200, from Old French plainte "lament, lamentation" (12c.), from Latin planctus "lamentation, wailing, beating of the breast," from past participle stem of plangere "to lament, to strike" (see plague (n.)). Connecting notion probably is beating one's breast in grief.