Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “complaisant” come from?

Complaisant comes from French complaisant, derived from the French verb complaire, which developed from Latin complacere, a compound of Latin com- meaning "with" and placere meaning "to please."

complaisant (English): Compliant; Willing to do what pleases others;...

Definitions

  1. Compliant; Willing to do what pleases others;...

Ancestry of “complaisant”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchcomplaisantpresent participle of complaire; complaisant,...
2Frenchcomplaireto get stuck in, to get caught in; to take...
3Middle Frenchcomplaireto please
4Latincomplaceō—
5Latincom-allomorph of con-
6Latincon-Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing...
7Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
8Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
9Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
10Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
11Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
12Middle Englishkyt—
13Germankitt—
14Old High Germankuti—
15Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
16Proto-Germanickweduzresin
17Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
18Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “complaisant”

  • complaisantly
  • uncomplaisant
  • complaisantness
  • uncomplaisantly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →