complaint

A2 Topic:Communication

US /kəmˈpleɪnt/ See IPA manual

Freq #4024

Meanings

1

noun
A statement that you are unhappy or annoyed about something.

The company received several complaints about the new product.
2

noun
An illness or health problem, especially a minor one.

The doctor said it was a common stomach complaint.
3

noun
A formal accusation made in a court of law.

The neighbours filed a complaint about the barking dogs.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a statement that you are... plaint

2 noun · an illness or health... ailment ill

3 noun · a formal accusation made in... charge

More authorities offense

Word family

Forms complaints

Derived forms complaintfulcomplaintivecountercomplaintcross-complaintnoncomplaintsuper-complaint

Etymology

From Middle English compleynte, from Anglo-Norman compleint, from Old French compleindre, eventually from Latin planctus (whence plaint).

compleynte Middle English compleint xno compleindre Old French planctus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Communication Register & Style

External links

# complaint

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /kəmˈpleɪnt/
**Frequency rank:** 4024

## Meanings
1. A statement that you are unhappy or annoyed about something.
2. An illness or health problem, especially a minor one.
3. A formal accusation made in a court of law.

## Examples
- The company received several complaints about the new product.
- The doctor said it was a common stomach complaint.
- The neighbours filed a complaint about the barking dogs.

## Synonyms
- authorities
- charge
- offense

## Derived Forms
- complaintful
- complaintive
- countercomplaint
- cross-complaint
- noncomplaint
- super-complaint

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: compleynte
- Root: compleint
- Root: compleindre
- Root: planctus

## Etymology
From Middle English compleynte, from Anglo-Norman compleint, from Old French compleindre, eventually from Latin planctus (whence plaint).

## AI Etymology
complaint is a noun. It is from Middle English compleynte, from Anglo-Norman compleint, from Old French compleindre, eventually from Latin planctus (whence plaint). Historical forms in the chain include compleynte (Middle English), compleint (Anglo-Norman), compleindre (Old French), and planctus (Latin). Current senses include a statement that you are unhappy or annoyed about something, an illness or health problem, especially a minor one, and a formal accusation made in a court of law. Derived forms include complaintful, complaintive, countercomplaint, cross-complaint, and noncomplaint.

## Topics
- Communication
- Register & Style

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