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Compliment vs Greeting - What's the difference?

compliment | greeting |

In uncountable terms the difference between compliment and greeting

is that compliment is complimentary language; courtesy, flattery while greeting is the action of the verb to greet.

As nouns the difference between compliment and greeting

is that compliment is an expression of praise, congratulation, encouragement, or respect while greeting is a conventional phrase used to start a letter or conversation or otherwise to acknowledge a person's arrival or presence.

As verbs the difference between compliment and greeting

is that compliment is to pay a compliment (to); to express a favorable opinion (of) while greeting is present participle of lang=en.

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

    greeting

    English

    Noun

  • A conventional phrase used to start a letter or conversation or otherwise to acknowledge a person's arrival or presence.
  • (uncountable) The action of the verb to greet .
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=2 , passage=I had occasion […] to make a somewhat long business trip to Chicago, and on my return […] I found Farrar awaiting me in the railway station. He smiled his wonted fraction by way of greeting , […], and finally leading me to his buggy, turned and drove out of town.}}

    See also

    * hello * salutation

    Verb

    (head)