amiable

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English

WOTD – 6 December 2011

Etymology

From Middle English amyable, from Old French amiable, from Late Latin amīcābilis (“friendly”), from Latin amīcus (“friend”), from amō (“love”, verb). The meaning has been influenced by French amiable and Latin amābilis (“loveable”) (whence English aimable and amable). Doublet of amicable. Compare with amorous, amability.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈeɪ.mi.ə.bəl/, /ˈæ.mi.ə.bəl/
  • Audio (AU)(file)

Adjective

amiable (comparative more amiable, superlative most amiable)

  1. Friendly; kind; sweet; gracious
    an amiable temper
    amiable ideas
    • 1777, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The School for Scandal, V.i:
      The sums I have lent him! indeed—I have been exceedingly to blame—it was an amiable weakness!
    • 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter III, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
      A short time afterward at the opera Gerald dragged him into a parterre to say something amiable to one of the amiable débutante Craig girls—and Selwyn found himself again facing Alixe.
  2. Of a pleasant and likeable nature; kind-hearted; easy to like
    an amiable person
    • c. 1521, John Skelton, Speke Parott:
      My deyſy delectabyll
      My prymerose commendabyll
      My vyolet amyabyll
      My ioye in explicabill
      Nowe torne agayne to me
    • 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter III, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
      A short time afterward at the opera Gerald dragged him into a parterre to say something amiable to one of the amiable débutante Craig girls—and Selwyn found himself again facing Alixe.

Usage notes

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Further reading

Anagrams

French

Etymology

From Old French amiable, from Late Latin amīcābilis.

Pronunciation

Adjective

amiable (plural amiables)

  1. amiable

Derived terms

Further reading

Old French

Etymology

From Late Latin amīcābilis (“friendly”), from Latin amīcus (“friend”), from amō (“I love”).

Adjective

amiable m (oblique and nominative feminine singular amiable)

  1. likable; amiable

Descendants

  • Middle French: amyable
  • Middle English: amyable, amiable
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