What is the Latin word for compliment?

The usual Latin words for “compliment” are salūtātiō, salūs, laus; also impertiō, Dionȳsius, adveniō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“compliment” in Latin

salūtātiōa greeting, salutation; a ceremonial visit by a client to his patron salūssafety; security; health, well-being, welfare; salvation, deliverance lauspraise, glory, repute; fame; approbation, commendation impertiōto bestow, impart, entrust; to share; to communicate Dionȳsiusa male given name from Ancient Greek, equivalent to English Dennis; tyrant of Syracuse adveniōto come to, to arrive

The English word compliment itself goes back to Latin pleō, through complēmentum.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

compliment

Salutation, greeting: salutatio: salus (salute): also honor (the honour done by the compliment): to make one’s compliments to anybody, aliquem salutare; salutem alicui dicere, impertire: to send one’s compliments to anybody, valere aliquem jubeo: make my compliments to Dionysius, Dionysium jube salvere: compliments having been exchanged, salute data, invicem redditaque; salute accepta redditaque; also functi mutua gratulatione (if the compliments are combined with any congratulation): to present another person’s compliments, salutem nunciare.

A complimentary speech or demonstration of civility: verborum honos: verba honorifica. laus (flattering praise): blanda vanitas. also verba, plur. (polite but empty words): his words or conversation are nothing but mere compliments, ejus sermones meri sunt honores (Vid: Hor., Ep., 2, 2, 88): A speech or discourse full of compliment, oratio blanda: those are mere compliments, verba istbaec sunt: a letter containing bare or empty compliments, inanis sermo litterarum: without any compliment, citra honorem verborum (i. e., without wishing to say mere compliments); sine fuco ac fallaciis (without wishing to deceive, without disguise, guile): to make anybody a compliment of anything, donare alicui aliquid or aliquem aliqua, re: alicui aliquid dono dare.

compliment v.

honorificis verbis aliquem prosequi. To compliment a person on anything, (a) to congratulate him; gratulari alicui aliquid (e.g., on his safe arrival, adventum); (b) to praise him; e.g., on account of his measures, laudare alicujus instituta.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for compliment?: The usual Latin words for “compliment” are salūtātiō, salūs, laus; also impertiō, Dionȳsius, adveniō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.