Complaisant

Complaisant

kəmˈplās(ə)nt

Adjective

  • Willing to please others; obliging; agreeable.

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Example Sentences

“Larger breeds of dogs tend to be incredibly sweet and complaisant pets.”

“The dentist’s new receptionist was both competent and complaisant.”

“Gene might look large and intimidating, but he is surprisingly complaisant.”

Word Origin

French, mid-17th century

Why this word?

While “complaisant” is similar in spelling and pronunciation to the word “complacent,” they have different meanings. Both come from the Latin word “complacere” (“to please”), but have evolved over time to demonstrate different aspects of this term. “Complaisant” describes someone being willing to please others, while “complacent” describes being self-satisfied with one’s personal accomplishments, perhaps to a negative degree.

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ˈandrəˌɡäjē