/
kəmˈpleɪs(ə)nt/
adj.
smug and uncritically satisfied with oneself or one's achievements.
Derivative
- complacency
(also complacence)
n.
- complacently adv.
Usage
The words complacent and complaisant are sometimes confused: complacent means ‘smug and self-satisfied’, whereas complaisant means ‘willing to please’.
Etymology
C17 (earlier (ME) as complacence), in the sense ‘pleasant’: from L. complacent-, complacere ‘to please’.
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