First Known Use: 1638
Dictionary
complaisant
adjective com·plai·sant \-sənt, -zənt, -ˈzant, -ˈzänt\
: willing or eager to please other people : easily convinced to do what other people want
Full Definition of COMPLAISANT
1
: marked by an inclination to please or oblige
2
: tending to consent to others' wishes
— com·plai·sant·ly adverb
See complaisant defined for English-language learners
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Origin of COMPLAISANT
French, from Middle French, from present participle of complaire to gratify, acquiesce, from Latin complacēre
Synonym Discussion of COMPLAISANT
amiable, good-natured, obliging, complaisant mean having the desire or disposition to please. amiable implies having qualities that make one liked and easy to deal with <an amiable teacher not easily annoyed>. good-natured implies cheerfulness or helpfulness and sometimes a willingness to be imposed upon <a good-natured girl who was always willing to pitch in>. obliging stresses a friendly readiness to be helpful <our obliging innkeeper found us a bigger room>. complaisant often implies passivity or a yielding to others because of weakness <was too complaisant to protest a decision he thought unfair>.
Rhymes with COMPLAISANT
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