complacence

English

Etymology

From mediaeval (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin complacentia, from Latin complaceo (“please”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kəmˈpleɪsəns/

Noun

complacence (countable and uncountable, plural complacences)

1. (archaic) Being complacent; a feeling of contentment or satisfaction; complacency.
   • Atterbury

     The inward complacence we find in acting reasonably and virtuously.

2. (obsolete) Pleasure, delight.
   • Milton

     O thou, my sole complacence.

3. (obsolete) Complaisance; a willingness to comply with others' wishes.
   • 1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, Folio Society 1973, pp. 33-4:

     He told his sister, if she pleased, the new-born infant should be bred up together with little Tommy; to which she consented, though with some little reluctance: for she had truly a great complacence for her brother [...].

Synonyms

• self-complacency
• self-satisfaction