English Explanatory Dictionary

complaint

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The act of complaining.
  2. A grievance, problem, difficulty, or concern.
  3. In a civil action, the first pleading of the plaintiff setting out the facts on which the claim is based.
  4. In criminal law, the preliminary charge or accusation made by one person against another to the appropriate court or officer, usually a magistrate.
  5. A bodily disorder or disease; the symptom of such a disorder.

Pronunciation

/kəmˈpleɪnt/ En-us-complaint.ogg

Word forms

complaint complaints

Etymology

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

Synonyms

complaint of an offence offense criminal information inform the police authorities notification of the police report an offence offense to the police charge plaint criminal complaint charges ailment

Derived words

bill of complaint complaintful complaintive countercomplaint cross-complaint doorknob complaint noncomplaint summer complaint super-complaint
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