Word
compliment
Phoneticscom·pli·ment, stress on the first syllable
/ˈkɑmpɫəmɛnt/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a polite or kind remark you say to someone to show you admire them.
n. an expression of praise, congratulation, or respect directed toward an individual.
Examples
“She gave me a lovely compliment on my new dress.”
“Taking a compliment gracefully can be difficult for people who struggle with low self-esteem.”
“While some view imitation as the highest form of flattery, others find it a backhanded compliment that suggests a lack of original vision.”
Examples
simple
“She gave me a lovely compliment on my new dress.”
contextual
“Taking a compliment gracefully can be difficult for people who struggle with low self-esteem.”
complex
“While some view imitation as the highest form of flattery, others find it a backhanded compliment that suggests a lack of original vision.”
Usage
Commonly used with the verb 'pay' as in 'to pay someone a compliment'.
Pitfall
The wine was a nice compliment to the meal.
The wine was a nice complement to the meal.
Use 'compliment' for praise. Use 'complement' (with an 'e') when two things go well together.
Confusables
Compliment is a polite expression of praise, while complement is something that completes or improves another thing.
RememberComplEment adds an Extra piece to complEte the set.
Real-World Examples
“I was thinner than some popular celebrities at the time and had received so many compliments.” “His compliments about that actor, though, could plainly be applied to him, too.” Etymology
Borrowed from French compliment, itself a borrowing of Italian complimento, which in turn is a borrowing from Spanish cumplimiento, from cumplir (“to comply, complete, do what is proper”) + -miento or Latin complēmentum. Doublet of complement. Displaced Old English ġeswǣsnes.
Borrowed from French complimenter, from compliment + -er (verb-forming suffix).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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