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amiable

[ey-mee-uh-buhl]
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adjective
  1. having or showing pleasant, good-natured personal qualities; affable: an amiable disposition.
  2. friendly; sociable: an amiable greeting; an amiable gathering.
  3. agreeable; willing to accept the wishes, decisions, or suggestions of another or others.
  4. Obsolete. lovable or lovely.
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Origin of amiable

1300–50; Middle English < Middle French < Late Latin amīcābilis amicable
Related formsa·mi·a·bil·i·ty, a·mi·a·ble·ness, nouna·mi·a·bly, adverbqua·si-a·mi·a·ble, adjectivequa·si-a·mi·a·bly, adverbun·a·mi·a·ble, adjectiveun·a·mi·a·ble·ness, nounun·a·mi·a·bly, adverb
Can be confusedamiable amicable

Synonyms for amiable

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1. gracious. 2. amicable.

Antonyms for amiable

1. rude. 2. unfriendly, hostile.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for amiably

happily, beautifully, perfectly, pleasantly, admirably, finely, kindly, cordially, gently, respectfully, graciously, amiably, attentively, tactfully, fairly, generously, positively, approvingly, enthusiastically, courteously

Examples from the Web for amiably

Historical Examples of amiably

  • He now remembered how the Emperor, meeting him on the Nevsky, had amiably congratulated him.

    Father Sergius

    Leo Tolstoy

  • "Let us find her together," he said amiably, and so turned and went with her towards the archway.

    The Snare

    Rafael Sabatini

  • "Why certainly," he assented, amiably, as he stood looking down at her.

    The Market-Place

    Harold Frederic

  • “Gentlemen, the landscape fairly bristles with artillery,” he said amiably.

    The Coyote

    James Roberts

  • “Well, go ahead and blow it, then,” suggested Creede amiably.

    Hidden Water

    Dane Coolidge

British Dictionary definitions for amiably

amiable

adjective
  1. having or displaying a pleasant or agreeable nature; friendly
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Derived Formsamiability or amiableness, nounamiably, adverb

Word Origin for amiable

C14: from Old French, from Late Latin amīcābilis amicable
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

Word Origin and History for amiably

amiable

adj.

mid-14c., from Old French amiable, from Late Latin amicabilis "friendly," from amicus "friend," related to amare "to love" (see Amy). The form confused in Old French with amable "lovable," from Latin amare. Reborrowed later in proper Latin form as amicable.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper