complaint
/kəmˈpleɪnt/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.32 in modern English
15
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
2
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
In a civil action, the first pleading of the plaintiff setting out the facts on which the claim is based.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
In criminal law, the preliminary charge or accusation made by one person against another to the appropriate court or officer, usually a magistrate.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "customer complaints"
- "noise complaints"
- "file complaints"
- "The company received numerous complaints about the product."
- "He filed complaints with the housing authority."
- "Complaints have risen in particular from passengers changing trains, who have observed little or no improvement in their ability to navigate between the station's 13 platforms."
Etymology
From Middle English compleynte, from Anglo-Norman compleint, from Old French compleindre, eventually from Latin planctus (whence plaint).