Past tense of comply, meaning to act in accordance with rules, requests, or wishes; to conform or yield.
From Italian complire or Spanish cumplir, ultimately from Latin complere meaning 'to fill up' or 'to complete.' The sense evolved from 'completing' something to 'fulfilling' requirements or obligations.
The evolution from 'complete' to 'comply' shows how language reflects social structures—as societies became more regulated, the need to 'complete' one's obligations to authority became so important it gained its own word. Compliance culture in modern organizations echoes this medieval sense of fulfilling one's duty.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.