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Congratulations vs Compliment - What's the difference?

congratulations | compliment |

As nouns the difference between congratulations and compliment

is that congratulations is while compliment is an expression of praise, congratulation, encouragement, or respect.

As an interjection congratulations

is expressing praise and approval, expressing approbation.

As a verb compliment is

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

congratulations

English

Interjection

(en interjection)
  • Expressing praise and approval, expressing approbation.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-11-30, volume=409, issue=8864, magazine=(The Economist), author=Paul Davis
    • , title= Letters: Say it as simply as possible , passage=Congratulations on managing to use the phrase “preponderant criterion” in a chart (“ On your marks”, November 9th). Was this the work of a kakorrhaphiophobic journalist set a challenge by his colleagues, or simply an example of glossolalia?}}

    Synonyms

    * See

    See also

    * congrats

    Noun

    (head)

    • 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