affable

[ af-uh-buhl ]

adjective

1. pleasantly easy to approach and to talk to; friendly; cordial; warmly polite:

   an affable and courteous gentleman.

   Synonyms: sociable, gracious, genial, approachable, amiable, accessible

   Antonyms: standoffish, distant, inaccessible, unapproachable, unsociable, unfriendly

2. showing warmth and friendliness; benign; pleasant:

   an affable smile.

affable

/ ˈæfəbəl /

adjective

1. showing warmth and friendliness; kindly; mild; benign
2. easy to converse with; approachable; amicable

Derived Forms

• ˈaffably, adverb
• ˌaffaˈbility, noun

Other Words From

• af·fa·bil·i·ty [af-, uh, -, bil, -i-tee], af·fa·ble·ness noun
• af·fa·bly adverb
• un·af·fa·ble adjective
• un·af·fa·bly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of affable¹

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin affābilis “that can be spoken to, courteous,” equivalent to af- af- + fā- “speak” ( fate ) + -bilis -ble, perhaps via Middle French

Word History and Origins

Origin of affable¹

C16: from Latin affābilis easy to talk to, from affārī to talk to, from ad- to + fāri to speak; compare fable , fate

Synonym Study

See civil.

Example Sentences

Four, the recruitment by the Republicans of affable-seeming candidates who had some discipline drilled into them.

From The Daily Beast

And that brings me to an otherwise affable cast of candidates.

From The Daily Beast

He was always affable but ultimately unknowable; intellectually incurious but ferociously ambitious.

From The Daily Beast

She plays Lolly, an affable inmate who listens to Piper recount her gruesome bashing of Pennsatucky, whom she believes she killed.

From The Daily Beast

He had to prove that Fallon's reign isn't a fluke, that late night really can be a home for the affable and good-natured.

From The Daily Beast

In manners affable, and in benevolence unsurpassed, the Kentucky planter gains the plaudits of all.

From Project Gutenberg

Col. Moore, a veteran politician of the Old Dominion, was a most pleasant and affable gentleman, and a great lisper withal.

From Project Gutenberg

Montaigne would say:219 I will have elbow-room: I will be courteous and affable according to my fancy, without fear or remorse.

From Project Gutenberg

It was the rule to be courteous, affable, gentlemanly, for all this was in harmony with the severity of art.

From Project Gutenberg

She had seen him on his former visit, and remembered favourably his genial good-humour and affable bearing.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• amiable
• approachable
• courteous
• genial
• gentle
• good-humored
• good-natured
• gracious
• pleasant
• polite
• sociable
• urbane