Complacence

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /kəmˈpleɪsəns/

Definitions

1. A feeling of peace with one’s current status that may lead to disregard for necessary progress and change
2. A mindset of being content with achievements that might foster inattention to future risks or opportunities for growth
3. A state of self-satisfaction and contentment that can result in a lack of motivation for improvement or a failure to recognize emerging challenges

Etymology: Latin "complacere" was built from "com-" (an intensifying prefix, here meaning "thoroughly") and "placere," "to please," the same root that gives English "placid" and "pleasure." So at its core, the word has always carried the idea of being pleased. The Latin verb meant to please someone or to be agreeable, and the noun "complacentia" in Medieval Latin carried the sense of pleasantness or good will. English took the word in late Middle English, when it meant something closer to courtesy, willingness to oblige, or a pleasing manner. Over the centuries the sense shifted inward. A pleasant, obliging attitude toward others gradually became a contented state of mind, and then, by the time the modern meaning settled in, a self-satisfied one. The word no longer describes wanting to please anyone; it describes being pleased with oneself, often to the point of not noticing what needs attention.

Synonyms: self-satisfaction, smugness

Antonyms: insecurity, dissatisfaction