docile

American  

[dos-uhl, doh-sahyl] / ˈdɒs əl, ˈdoʊ saɪl /

adjective

1. easily managed or handled; tractable.

   a docile horse.

   Synonyms:

   obedient, malleable, manageable

2. readily trained or taught; teachable.

---

docile British  

/ ˈdəʊsaɪl, dəʊˈsɪlɪtɪ /

adjective

1. easy to manage, control, or discipline; submissive

2. rare ready to learn; easy to teach

---

Other Word Forms

• docilely adverb
• docility noun

Etymology

Origin of docile

First recorded in 1475–85; from Latin docilis “readily taught,” equivalent to doc(ēre) “to teach” + -ilis adjective suffix ( -ile )

Example Sentences

One minute we are raging against the perils of A.I., and the next, docilely accepting Gemini’s take on the best Caribbean vacation.

From The Wall Street Journal

I learned to groom them back, and it made them so docile, it seemed like the thing they loved most in the world.

From Literature

This was unexpected, as pheasants are usually quite docile birds, and tasty, too.

From Literature

After their snake handler’s docile specimen has an onset mishap, the real thing slithers into view.

From Los Angeles Times

It turns out there’s quite a bit of sadness behind Luna’s bubbliness and a good deal of steel underneath Jane’s docile demeanor.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• easygoing
• gentle
• laid-back
• meek
• obedient
• pliable
• pliant
• well-behaved