French word

complainte

Pronunciation

IPA/kɔ̃plɛ̃t/

Meaning

  • feminine nounlament

Example

Elle chante une complainte ce soir.

She is singing a lament tonight.

Illustration for complainte (lament)

More examples

Il murmurait une complainte après la perte de son chien.

He murmured a lament after losing his dog.

Core concept

A poetic song in which grief takes a clear musical form.

Similar words

plainte: A formal statement made to report a grievance.
tristesse: A state of feeling sad or sorrowful.
chagrin: Deep sorrow that lingers in the heart.

Definition in French

Désigne un poème ou une chanson qui exprime la douleur, le regret ou le deuil.

Word origin

Complainte is an inherited French form from Old French, related to Latin plangere, 'to mourn', through the noun planctus, 'lament'.

Usage tips

  • Complainte names an artistic lament, whereas plainte more often means a complaint or an expression of grievance.

Opposites

  • jubilationjubilationnoun
  • joiejoynoun

Word lists with this word