compliment

from Italian complimento (act or expression of homage), itself from Spanish cumplimiento attested since the thirteenth century in the sense of 'abundance', that of 'compliment' since the sixteenth century. The first attestation, in French, in 1566, is in the form complimento with the sense of 'visit of courtesy made to an official person' (correspondence of Cardinal de Granvelle, t. i, p. 493 in herb., p. 66) represents an adaptation of the Spanish word; (1604) compliment 'id.' (the embassies and negotiations of the most illustrious and reverend Cardinal du Perron, Paris, 1623, p. 257 [letter dated Rome, December 27, 1604]); 1608 appears with the sense of 'words of praise addressed to someone'. Related to the Old French compliement and complement.