Meanings
plural complaisances · alternative complaisaunce
- countableuncountableThe quality of being complaisant, amiable or agreeable.
I see he has premeditated a Denial by the Complaisance of his Features.
1777, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The School for Scandal, V.i1 more example
It is no wonder that in an age when this kind of merit is so little in fashion, and so slenderly provided for, persons possessed of it should very eagerly flock to a place where they were sure of being received with great complaisance; indeed, where they might enjoy almost the same advantages of a liberal fortune as if they were entitled to it in their own right.
1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna disposition or tendency to yield to the will of others
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
From French. See complaisant. By surface analysis, com- + plaisance.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek ὕφεσις
- ὕφεσις (húphesis)quality of being complaisant
Esperanto komplezo
- komplezoquality of being complaisant
German Gefälligkeit, Verbindlichkeit
- Gefälligkeitquality of being complaisant
- Verbindlichkeitquality of being complaisant
Polish usłużność
- usłużnośćquality of being complaisant
Portuguese complacência
- complacênciaquality of being complaisant
Spanish complaciencia
- complacienciaquality of being complaisant
Cite this entry
complaisance. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/complaisance
“complaisance.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/complaisance. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “complaisance,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/complaisance.
Source: complaisance on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.