amiable
adj/ˈeɪ.mi.ə.bəl/ · /ˈæ.mi.ə.bəl/
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.
1
Friendly; kind; sweet; gracious
- an amiable temper
- amiable ideas
2 more examples
- The sums I have lent him! indeed—I have been exceedingly to blame—it was an amiable weakness!1777, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The School for Scandal, V.i:
- 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.1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter III, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
2
Of a pleasant and likeable nature; kind-hearted; easy to like
- an amiable person
- My deyſy delectabyll My prymerose commendabyll My vyolet amyabyll My ioye in explicabill Nowe torne agayne to mec. 1521, John Skelton, Speke Parott:
1 more example
- 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.1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter III, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
- Synonyms
- likable
- Derived terms
- amiability, amiableness, amiably, inamiable, unamiable