plaint

noun

ˈplānt How to pronounce plaint (audio)
Synonyms of plaintnext
1
: lamentation, wail
2
: protest, complaint

Synonyms

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Examples of plaint in a Sentence

the day after the massacre the plaints of bereaved mothers and wives could be heard throughout the village that taxes are too high is perhaps the most perennial of plaints
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This wry, lovelorn plaint is a cagey display of subtle dynamics and counterpoint on a lone electric guitar. — Jon Pareles, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025 And to be perfectly fair, the New Deal had seven or eight big years of operation (the plaints about the Supreme Court etc. blocking reforms being so many excuses). — Brian Domitrovic, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin planctus, from plangere to strike, beat one's breast, lament; akin to Old High German fluokhōn to curse, Greek plēssein to strike

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of plaint was in the 13th century

Rhymes for plaint

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Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Plaint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plaint. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on plaint

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about plaint

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