plaint
Americannoun
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a complaint.
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Law. a statement of grievance made to a court for the purpose of asking redress.
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a lament; lamentation.
noun
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archaic a complaint or lamentation
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law a statement in writing of grounds of complaint made to a court of law and asking for redress of the grievance
Etymology
Origin of plaint
1175–1225; Middle English < Middle French < Latin planctus a striking or beating (the breast) in grief, equivalent to plang ( ere ) to beat, strike, mourn for + -tus, suffix of v. action
Vocabulary lists containing plaint
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mr. Cole, who seems proud that his Banana Ball has a family tree, echoes a common plaint among non-baseball fans.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
Instead of breaking something open, and for all its self-conscious daring, “Beau Is Afraid” stays in a relatively safe lane as one more Portnoy-esque plaint about Mom’s inhumanity to man.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 19, 2023
These points are not the most cynical aspect of McConnell’s plaint, however.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2020
If this is Greenberg’s plaint as well — the scent of despair does waft off the stage — I hope he has now worked through it.
From New York Times ● Mar. 3, 2020
“Goodman Whittlesley, will you repeat your com. plaint for this assembly?”
From "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" by Elizabeth George Speare
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
