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Complaint vs Compliment - What's the difference?

complaint | compliment |

As nouns the difference between complaint and compliment

is that complaint is a grievance, problem, difficulty, or concern; the act of complaining while compliment is an expression of praise, congratulation, encouragement, or respect.

As a verb compliment is

to pay a compliment (to); to express a favorable opinion (of).

complaint

English

(wikipedia complaint)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A grievance, problem, difficulty, or concern; the act of complaining.
    • I have no complaints about the quality of his work, but I don't enjoy his company.
  • (legal) In a civil action, the first pleading of the plaintiff setting out the facts on which the claim is based;
    The purpose is to give notice to the adversary of the nature and basis of the claim asserted.
  • (legal) In criminal law, the preliminary charge or accusation made by one person against another to the appropriate court or officer, usually a magistrate.
    However, court proceedings, such as a trial, cannot be instituted until an indictment or information has been handed down against the defendant.
  • A consumer complaint.
  • A bodily disorder or disease; the symptom of such a disorder.
    • Don't come too close, I've got this nasty complaint .

    Anagrams

    *

    compliment

    English

    (wikipedia compliment)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl), from (etyl) complire, from (etyl) complere

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An expression of praise, congratulation, encouragement, or respect.
  • * Milton
    • Tedious waste of time, to sit and hear / So many hollow compliments and lies.
  • * Cowper
    • many a compliment politely penned
  • (uncountable) Complimentary language; courtesy, flattery.
  • *
    • This accomplished man condescended to think of a young girl, and take the pains to talk to her, not with absurd compliment , but with an appeal to her understanding, and sometimes with instructive correction.
    • Synonyms
    * See also
    Antonyms
    *insult
    Derived terms
    * backhanded compliment * left-handed compliment * with compliments

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl), from (etyl) complimento'' (etyl) ''cumplimiento'', from ''cumplir'', from ''complire'', from (etyl) ''complere .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (ambitransitive) To pay a compliment (to); to express a favorable opinion (of).
  • * Prior
    • Monarchs should their inward soul disguise; / Should compliment their foes and shun their friends.
    • Antonyms
    *insult