amity
noun
friendship; peaceful harmony.
amity
1 American
[am-i-tee]
/ ˈæm ɪ ti /
noun
-
friendship; peaceful harmony.
-
mutual understanding and a peaceful relationship, especially between nations; peace; accord.
Amity
2
American
[am-i-tee]
/ ˈæm ɪ ti /
noun
amity
British
/ ˈæmɪtɪ /
noun
Etymology
Origin of amity
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English amit(i)e, from Middle French amitie, Old French amiste(t), from unattested Vulgar Latin amicitāt-, stem of amīcitās, derivative of Latin amīcus; see ami, amiable, -ity
Explanation
The word amity refers to a peaceful, friendly nature, much like the French word ami, or "friend." From the Latin amicus, "friend," amity means "friendly relations." That strong sense of friendship lends irony to the name of the book, and later the movie, called The Amityville Horror, about a horrifying town with a weirdly cheerful name. In truth, though, amity means "mutual understanding and peace." Wouldn't it be nice if all of the world's nations lived in amity?
Vocabulary lists containing amity
All You Need is Love: Amor and Phil
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A Midsummer Night's Dream
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Beowulf vocabulary
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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.
See Examples For:
Tuesday’s memorial ceremonies for Sen. Lindsey Graham were a rare moment of amity in today’s bitter politics of Washington.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
"Together, we must foil all schemes to disrupt or undermine our bonds of amity and trust," Xi wrote in a signed article for Russian media.
From BBC ● May 9, 2025
Wickremesinghe has since cracked down on protests and sought amity among political parties, saying only an all-party government can solve the country’s problems.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 3, 2022
He lamented the fading of such cross-party amity.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 11, 2021
"Always with good reason, sweet sister. I want amity between us as much as you do. I've decided to release Lord Gyles."
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
On this date in 1778, the U.S. and France signed the Treaty of Amity and Commerce and the Treaty of Alliance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 6, 2026
"No one wants a shark attack to occur, but these bans are just creating the same fear as generated on the ill-fated Amity Island in Jaws. It's just not the right way to go."
From Science Daily ● Nov. 14, 2023
Her circle of confidants grows to include classmates from her magic school, including frenemy-turned-crush Amity, who Luz eventually starts dating.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 11, 2023
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kulbela signed the “Treaty on Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia” as the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations got underway in Phnom Penh.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 9, 2022
The Amity sit on the floor, most with their legs crossed, in knots and clusters that vaguely resemble the tree roots to me.
From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth
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.
