compliment
n.-
1 praise or admiration (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatea polite or kind remark you say to someone to show you admire them.
an expression of praise, congratulation, or respect directed toward an individual.
ExampleHe paid her a lovely compliment on her new hairstyle.
ExampleAccepting a compliment with grace can be difficult for those who are naturally modest or self-critical.
UsageCommonly used with the verb 'pay' as in 'to pay someone a compliment'.
PitfallThe 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.
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).
- Nouncompliment
- Adjectivecomplimentary
- 01
backhanded compliment
An insult disguised as a compliment; a compliment which can be interpreted as an insult.
- 02
Chinese compliment
A pretense of deference; a veiled or subtle insult.
- 03
left-handed compliment
A complimentary remark which is ambiguous or ineptly worded, so that it may be interpreted as having an unflattering or dismissive sense.