What does complin mean?
Complin is the name of the final service among the seven canonical hours of the Christian Divine Office — a short office of psalms, canticles, and prayers recited or sung before going to sleep. In monastic communities it marks the close of the day's round of prayer, traditionally observed after sundown, and it is often described as the Church's bedtime prayer. The word is simply a variant spelling of 'compline', which remains the more common form in modern usage. Complin derives from Latin 'completorium', itself tied to 'complere' ('to fill up' or 'complete'), reflecting the idea that this office completes the daily cycle of prayer. Today the word appears almost exclusively in religious, historical, or literary contexts — in descriptions of monastic life, cathedral worship, or traditional communities that still chant the office nightly. For readers interested in liturgical tradition, complin offers a window into the ancient rhythm that structures the praying day from dawn to darkness.
nounThe final of the seven canonical hours of the Divine Office, a service of prayers said or sung before retiring for the night in Christian liturgical tradition; also called compline.
- The last of the seven canonical hours of the Divine Office, an evening or night prayer service in Christian liturgy, especially monastic practice.
"The monks gathered in the candlelit chapel for complin before retiring to their cells."
"The abbey bells rang to summon the brothers to complin at sunset."
"She found that chanting complin each night brought a peaceful close to her day."
Rarely used in the plural; the word normally appears in the singular when referring to the office itself, though plural forms may describe multiple instances of the service across different days or places.
"The manuscript records the complins sung by the community over the course of the week."
Complin is the church's goodnight prayer — literally from Latin meaning 'completion', it fills out and completes the day's round of prayers.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of complin
Complin comes from Middle English, ultimately from the Latin 'completorium', the term for the concluding office of the day, derived from 'complere', meaning 'to fill up' or 'to complete'. The name reflects the office's role as the final, completing prayer of the seven canonical hours. It shares its Latin root with words such as 'complete', 'completion', 'complement', and 'compliment'. The variant spelling 'compline' is today the standard form.
How complin is actually used
Complin is chiefly used in religious, especially Roman Catholic and Anglican monastic, contexts. The spelling 'compline' is now far more common; 'complin' is a recognized variant. It is a formal, liturgical word unlikely to appear outside ecclesiastical settings.
Easily confused with complin
Compline is the standard spelling of the same evening prayer service, while complin is a less common variant spelling.