compliment

1 of 2

noun

com·​pli·​ment ˈkäm-plə-mənt How to pronounce compliment (audio)
1
a
: an expression of esteem, respect, affection, or admiration
especially : an admiring remark
b
: formal and respectful recognition : honor
2
a
compliments plural : best wishes : regards
accept my compliments
compliments of the season
b
used in the phrase compliments of to identify the donor or source of a gift or free item or service
For less than $10, she gets transportation to the real-estate tycoon's casino, a voucher worth about $13 in cash, a meal ticket and a coupon good for $5 on her next visit—all compliments of the casino.Julie Amparano
often used ironically to identify the source of something that is not wanted
He received a speeding ticket, compliments of the state police.
Add two more games to the list of area basketball postponements this week, compliments of wintry weather.Marq Mitcham

compliment

2 of 2

verb

com·​pli·​ment ˈkäm-plə-ˌment How to pronounce compliment (audio)
complimented; complimenting; compliments

transitive verb

1
: to express esteem, respect, affection, or admiration to : to pay a compliment to
complimented the pianist on his performance
2
: to present with a token of esteem
complimented her with an honorary degree

Did you know?

Is it complement or compliment?

Today there is no overlap between the meanings of complement and compliment, as either nouns or verbs, but their similar spellings and pronunciations make them prime candidates for confusion. Despite the difference in their meanings, both complement and compliment have roots in the Latin word complēre which means “to complete.” Complement remains true to that origin in its spelling and in its meanings that have to do with completing or completion. Keep that connection in mind and there should be no question as to whether complement or compliment is the correct word to use in a given context.

Examples of compliment in a Sentence

Noun "The warden said he wouldn't let just anybody have a young swan, but he'd let you have one because you understand about birds, and he trusts you. That's quite a compliment, son." Mr. Beaver looked pleased. E. B. White, The Trumpet Of The Swan, (1970) 2000
Boys in the Midwest grow up without a word of praise, their parents fearful that a compliment might make them vain … Garrison Keillor, WLT: A Radio Romance, 1991
Mallard scowled at him. He had never learned to receive compliment or expressions of gratitude gracefully. Dorothy Simpson, The Night She Died, 1981
The first presentation of Falstaff I ever saw was yours … Perhaps the best compliment I can pay is to say, as I truly can, I am very anxious to see it again. Abraham Lincoln, letter, 17 Aug. 1863
He told her he admired her paintings and she returned the compliment by saying that she was a fan of his sculptures. When customers recommend our company to friends and family members, we consider that to be the highest compliment we can get. Verb She was forever complimenting Ziba's exotic appearance and asking for her viewpoint on various international issues. Anne Tyler, Digging to America, 2006
… she had gotten a three-and-a-half-star review in the Nut County Reporter, complimenting her especially on her crème brûlée and her pork medallions … Jane Smiley, Good Faith, 2003
What a day. She had been winked at, complimented, given a gift, and now mistaken for the mysterious Alyce … Karen Cushman, The Midwife's Apprentice, 1995
Wilde would compliment him later: 'I have always regarded you as the best critic of my plays.' 'But I have never criticised your plays,' said Tree. 'That's why,' said Wilde. Richard Ellmann, Oscar Wilde, (1984) 1988
complimented her on her election victory
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Shoppers say the set is easy to assemble, looks bigger and better in person, and has received many compliments. Bridget Degnan, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2024 His visit to her art shop is so Notting Hill, and that’s a compliment. Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 6 Mar. 2024 After receiving so many compliments at the party, Charlot was encouraged. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 Self-improvement will boost your morale and lead to compliments and opportunities. Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 At the event itself, which lured plenty of local friends but also a contingent from the West Coast, where Guggenheim spends most of her time, Wilkinson Schor received many compliments for her aunt’s look—and some new orders. Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2024 For Sarfo, a big part of developing body confidence has been learning to not be flattered by compliments about her body, especially those from men. Annie Blay, Allure, 22 Feb. 2024 Instead, at the end of his session, a string of teammates approached him — almost akin to a post-victory handshake line — to offer compliments and congratulations. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2024 So that's a major compliment for me to be mentioned in the same conversation as far as that. Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2024
Verb
And the company is promising a more powerful computer, complimented by a sensor suite that includes 11 cameras and five radars. Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 7 Mar. 2024 Stone later complimented McHale and his wife on raising Edward so well. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 On the contrary, some take pleasure in being complimented in front of others. Martina Seferovic, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Equipped with real diamond grit, this wand works to add a more polished look to your skin, creating a bright and smooth complexion that everyone will compliment you on. Mia Meltzer, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2024 Available in both 18-karat white gold and 18-karat yellow gold, each model offers a sleek, monochromatic look thanks to stones that perfectly compliment the metal. Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 22 Feb. 2024 Everybody around that organization always complimented me on my hard work. Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 22 Feb. 2024 Sheryl Lee Ralph and Ciara shared a joyful greeting on the red carpet, hugging before complimenting one another’s dresses. Lindsay Kimble, Peoplemag, 25 Feb. 2024 Variety’s Courtney Howard complimented the film, saying Gunn’s story isn’t too saccharine. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'compliment.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from French, Italian & Spanish; French, borrowed from Italian & Spanish; Italian complimento, borrowed from Spanish cumplimiento, complimiento "offer made solely for reasons of etiquette," earlier "abundance," from cumplir "to go along (with), meet the expectations (of), satisfy (obligations of courtesy)," earlier, "to carry out, execute, fulfill" + -miento -ment — more at comply

Note: In the seventeenth century the word was often spelled complement, and complement entry 1 was occasionally spelled compliment. Senses of complement current in early Modern English, as "any observance that tends to give completeness to the expression of worship, honour, reverence, or the like" (Oxford English Dictionary, first edition) tend to shade into compliment, so that it is difficult to know if authors recognized a difference between the words.

Verb

borrowed from French complimenter, derivative of compliment compliment entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1673, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of compliment was in 1598

Dictionary Entries Near compliment

Cite this Entry

“Compliment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compliment. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

compliment

1 of 2 noun
com·​pli·​ment ˈkäm-plə-mənt How to pronounce compliment (audio)
1
: an expression of respect, affection, or admiration
especially : an admiring remark
2
plural : best wishes : regards

compliment

2 of 2 verb
com·​pli·​ment ˈkäm-plə-ˌment How to pronounce compliment (audio)
: to pay a compliment to
was complimented on his performance

More from Merriam-Webster on compliment

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