flatter
To compliment someone, often (but not necessarily) insincerely and sometimes to win favour.
Other meanings
To enhance or gratify someone's vanity by praising them.
To portray someone to advantage.
“Her portrait flatters her.”
Word history
From Old English "floterian".
Where this comes from
This definition is adapted from “flatter” on Wiktionary, by its contributors, published under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page is published under the same licence.