amiable

English

WOTD - 6 December 2011    

Etymology

Middle English amyable, from Old French amiable, from Late Latin amīcābilis (“friendly”), from Latin amīcus (“friend”), from amō (“I love”). The meaning has been influenced by French aimable, Latin amābilis (“loveable”). Compare with amicable, amorous, amability.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈeɪ.mi.ə.bəl/, /ˈæ.mi.ə.bəl/

Adjective

amiable (comparative more amiable, superlative most amiable)

1. Friendly; kind; sweet; gracious; as, an amiable temper or mood; amiable ideas.
2. Possessing sweetness of disposition; having sweetness of temper; kindhearted; which causes one to be liked; as, an amiable person.

Synonyms

• likable

Derived terms

amiability amiableness amiably

Related terms

amicable amity

Translations

friendly as an amiable temper or mood

Bulgarian: мил (bg), любезен (bg), приветлив (bg), дружелюбен (bg) Chinese: Mandarin: 友好 (zh) (yǒuhǎo), 藹然 (zh), 蔼然 (zh) (ǎirán), (formal) 友善 (zh) (yǒushàn) Danish: elskværdig (da) Finnish: ystävällinen (fi)

French: aimable (fr) m. and f. German: liebenswürdig (de) Italian: amabile (it), affabile (it) Russian: дружелюбный (ru) (druželjúbnyj), приветливый (ru) (privétlivyj), любезный (ru) (ljubéznyj), добродушный (ru) (dobrodúšnyj), милый (ru) (mílyj), дружественный (ru) (drúžestvennyj) Spanish: amable (es), afable (es)

possessing sweetness of disposition

Bulgarian: симпатичен (bg) Chinese: Mandarin: 友好 (zh) (yǒuhǎo), 藹然 (zh), 蔼然 (zh) (ǎirán), (formal) 友善 (zh) (yǒushàn) Danish: elskværdig (da) Estonian: avatud (et) Finnish: rakastettava (fi)

French: aimable (fr) m. and f. German: liebenswürdig (de) Italian: amabile (it), affettuoso (it) Japanese: 愛想のいい (aisō no ii) Russian: милый (ru) (mílyj), симпатичный (ru) (simpatíčnyj), привлекательный (ru) (privlekátel'nyj) Spanish: amable (es), afable (es)

External links

• amiable in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• amiable in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• amiable at OneLook Dictionary Search