complaisant
Meaning
willing to please others or to accept what they do or say without protest
Structure
Usage
he was a complaisant host, always ensuring his guests' glasses were full.
she was too complaisant in the meeting, agreeing to every demand without question.
a complaisant attitude can sometimes be mistaken for a lack of conviction.
Etymology
the word 'complaisant' entered english in the mid-17th century from the french adjective 'complaisant', the present participle of 'complaire', meaning 'to please' or 'to be obliging'. the french term itself originates from the latin verb 'complacere', which is a compound of 'com-' (an intensive prefix) and 'placere' (to please). the semantic journey is direct: from the literal sense of 'taking great care to please' in latin, through the french sense of being agreeable and accommodating, to the modern english meaning describing a person who is willingly deferential to the wishes of others. it is distinct from the similar-sounding 'complacent', which implies self-satisfaction rather than a desire to please.
Analysis
com- (latin: prefix meaning 'with', 'together', 'intensive'); plais- (french: from verb 'plaire', meaning 'to please'); -ant (french/latin: suffix forming adjectives, meaning 'being in a state of' or 'performing the action of')