doléance

Formed from Middle French douliance, itself from doulant, the present participle of the verb douloir, Old French doloir (corresponding to Latin dolēns, dolēntem, present participle of doleō (“to suffer”)), and the suffix -ance. The -é- is of uncertain origin; it was possibly recreated based on the model of créance, échéance.

doléance f (plural doléances)

1. (chiefly in the plural) grievance; complaint

• (historical) cahier de doléance

• condoléance

• “doléance” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).