Advertisement
complaisant (adj.)
1640s, "civil and gracious, desiring to please;" 1670s, "disposed to comply with another's wishes;" from French complaisant "pleasing, obliging, gracious" (16c.), present participle of complaire "acquiesce to please," from Latin complacere "be very pleasing to" (see complacent, its doublet, with which it overlapped in sense until mid-19c.). The French spelling possibly was influenced by Old French plaire "gratify." Related: Complaisantly.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Definitions of complaisant
Dictionary entries near complaisant
complainant
complainer
complaining
complaint
complaisance
complaisant
compleat
complect
complected
complection
complement