amicable
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of amicable
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Late Latin amīcābilis, equivalent to amīc(us) “friend, friendly” + -ābilis adjective suffix meaning “capable of, tending to” ( see -able); cf. amiable
Explanation
The adjective amicable means "friendly" — but in particular, use it when describing relations one might otherwise expect to be unfriendly. The end of a romantic relationship that's less than amicable might involve broken dishes or broken bones. Amicable, not surprisingly, comes from the Latin word for "friend," amicus. Perhaps the things most commonly described as amicable are divorces. The parties in a divorce often tend to be so childish and the proceedings so messy that it's nice to have a word that reflects the absence of those qualities. Other nouns that commonly pair with amicable include relationship, split, parting, solution, and breakup.
Vocabulary lists containing amicable
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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.
Swiss pharmaceutical group Sandoz on Monday announced two amicable settlements in the United States, totalling $478.5 million, to resolve a long-running dispute related to generic drug pricing.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
The outlet reported that the amicable split comes as “the distance between them and their busy schedules made it challenging to maintain their connection.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
"For those who are already amicable, and can make decisions together, it's very good for them to have an option to choose joint custody. I think it's a great step forward."
From BBC ● May 23, 2026
It can be amicable, with partners wishing each other well as they sign the papers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026
“Our divorce was amicable, but it was still hard. She was ready to move on before I was.”
From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
