Standard Lemma guide

complaisance

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

The quality of being complaisant, amiable or agreeable.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a disposition or tendency to yield to the will of others

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: compliance, compliancy, obligingness, deference

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: agreeableness, agreeability

History

Etymology

From French. See complaisant. By surface analysis, com- + plaisance.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Esperanto: komplezo — quality of being complaisant
  • German: Gefälligkeit — quality of being complaisant
  • German: Verbindlichkeit — quality of being complaisant
  • Ancient Greek: ὕφεσις (húphesis) — quality of being complaisant
  • Polish: usłużność — quality of being complaisant
  • Portuguese: complacência — quality of being complaisant
  • Spanish: complaciencia — quality of being complaisant