Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “complacent” come from?

Complacent comes from Latin complacens, the present participle of complaceo, meaning to please greatly, formed from com- (intensive prefix) and placeo (to please).

complacent (English): Uncritically satisfied with oneself or one's...

Definitions

  1. Uncritically satisfied with oneself or one's...

Ancestry of “complacent”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latincomplacenspleasing
2Latincomplaceō—
3Latincom-allomorph of con-
4Latincon-Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing...
5Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
6Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
7Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
9Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
10Middle Englishkyt—
11Germankitt—
12Old High Germankuti—
13Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
14Proto-Germanickweduzresin
15Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
16Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “complacent”

  • complacently
  • uncomplacent
  • overcomplacent
  • complacentry
  • self-complacent
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →