complaint

[ kuhm-pleynt ]
See synonyms for: complaintcomplaints on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. an expression of discontent, regret, pain, censure, resentment, or grief; lament; faultfinding: his complaint about poor schools.

  2. a cause of discontent, pain, grief, lamentation, etc.

  1. a cause of bodily pain or ailment; malady: The doctor says I suffer from a rare complaint.

  2. Law. the first pleading of the plaintiff in a civil action, stating the cause of action.

Origin of complaint

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English compleynte, from Middle French complainte, from Latin com- com- + plancta plaint

Other words for complaint

Other words from complaint

  • coun·ter·com·plaint, noun

Words Nearby complaint

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use complaint in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for complaint

complaint

/ (kəmˈpleɪnt) /


noun
  1. the act of complaining; an expression of grievance

  2. a cause for complaining; grievance

  1. a mild ailment

  2. English law a statement by which a civil proceeding in a magistrates' court is commenced

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012