peaceable
Americanadjective
-
inclined or disposed to avoid strife or dissension; not argumentative or hostile: a peaceable disposition.
a peaceable person;
a peaceable disposition.
- Antonyms:
- hostile, quarrelsome
-
in peaceable periods;
a peaceable adjustment of a dispute.
adjective
-
inclined towards peace
-
tranquil; calm
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of peaceable
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English pesible, from Middle French paisible; see peace, -able
Explanation
Someone or something that is peaceable tends to avoid conflict. A peaceable demonstration would most likely involve lots of protest banners instead of angry rioters. A peaceable group of people finds non-violent ways to resolve disagreements — you could call such a group a peaceable society. This adjective is less common than the closely related peaceful. Both words come from the Old French pais, or "peace," and its Latin root pacem, "treaty of peace" or "absence of war."
Vocabulary lists containing peaceable
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“It’s kind of karma,” said Laura Conour, the executive director of Laboratory Animal Resources at Princeton University, which has a retirement arrangement with the Peaceable Primate Sanctuary.
From New York Times • Jan. 23, 2023
It definitely threw off the balance in this Peaceable Kingdom.
From Salon • Jul. 25, 2021
When my kids were small, we had several cooperative games, some made by a company called Peaceable Kingdom—everyone talks about how to achieve the object of the game, and all players win or lose together.
From Slate • Jan. 13, 2021
When they learned about Peaceable Primate, they persuaded their institutions to make a large financial investment.
From Science Magazine • Dec. 5, 2019
In the intention craft she could move lightly with the wind, adjusting her balance like a wave rider in the Peaceable Ocean.
From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
