Dictionary.com

affable

[ af-uh-buhl ]
/ ˈæf ə bəl /
Save This Word!
See synonyms for: affable / affability / affably on Thesaurus.com
adjective
pleasantly easy to approach and to talk to; friendly; cordial; warmly polite: an affable and courteous gentleman.
showing warmth and friendliness; benign; pleasant: an affable smile.
QUIZ
QUIZ YOURSELF ON "IS" VS. "ARE"
"Is" it time for a new quiz? "Are" you ready? Then prove your excellent skills on using "is" vs. "are."
Question 1 of 7
IS and ARE are both forms of which verb?
have
be
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of affable

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

synonym study for affable

1. See civil.

OTHER WORDS FROM affable

af·fa·bil·i·ty [af-uh-bil-i-tee], /ˌæf əˈbɪl ɪ ti/, af·fa·ble·ness, nounaf·fa·bly, adverbun·af·fa·ble, adjectiveun·af·fa·bly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

Words related to affable

amiable, approachable, courteous, genial, gentle, good-humored, good-natured, gracious, pleasant, polite, sociable, urbane, amicable, benevolent, benign, breezy, civil, clubby, congenial, cordial

How to use affable in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for affable

affable
/ (ˈæfəbəl) /
adjective
showing warmth and friendliness; kindly; mild; benign
easy to converse with; approachable; amicable

Derived forms of affable

affability, nounaffably, adverb

Word Origin for affable

C16: from Latin affābilis easy to talk to, from affārī to talk to, from ad- to + fāri to speak; compare fable, fate
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
FEEDBACK