Saying something nice and approving about someone or something, or expressing genuine praise or admiration.
From 'compliment,' which comes from French 'compliment' (from Spanish 'cumplimiento'), originally meaning 'act of courtesy.' It evolved to mean a polite expression of approval or admiration in social interaction.
Here's a confusing pair: 'compliment' (praise) vs. 'complement' (something that completes or goes well with something else)—they sound identical but come from different roots and mean completely different things, which is why even adults mix them up constantly!
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