complaint

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

• IPA^(key): /kəmˈpleɪnt/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪnt

complaint (countable and uncountable, plural complaints)

1. The act of complaining.

   customer complaints

   noise complaints

   file complaints

   The company received numerous complaints about the product.

   He filed complaints with the housing authority.

   • 2020 July 29, Paul Stephen, “A new collaboration centred on New Street”, in Rail, page 54:

     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.

2. A grievance, problem, difficulty, or concern.

   Synonym: plaint

   I have no complaints about the quality of his work, but I don't enjoy his company.

3. (law) In a civil action, the first pleading of the plaintiff setting out the facts on which the claim is based.
4. (law) 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.

   Synonym: ailment

   Don't come too close; I've got this nasty complaint.

• (in criminal law, the preliminary charge or accusation made by one person against another to the appropriate court or officer) criminal complaint, complaint of an offence/offense, (penal) charge, (criminal) charges, criminal information, informing the police/authorities, notification of the police/authorities, reporting an offence/offense to the police/authorities

• coimplant, compliant