amity

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French amitié, from Vulgar Latin *amīcitās, *amīcitātem, from Latin amīcus (“friendly, a friend”) (based on amīcitia, from amō (“I love”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈæ.mɪ.ti/, [ˈæ.mɪ.ɾi]

Noun

amity (plural amities)

1. (formal, literary) Friendship. The cooperative and supportive relationship between people, or animals. In this sense, the term connotes a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, affection, and respect along with a degree of rendering service to friends in times of need or crisis.
   • 1922, Thomas Hardy, “Welcome Home,” in Lyrics Late and Earlier

     To my native place / Bent upon returning, / Bosom all day burning / To be where my race / Well were known, 'twas much with me / There to dwell in amity.

2. Mutual understanding and a peaceful relationship, especially between nations; peace; accord.

Synonyms

• friendliness
• friendship

Antonyms

• enmity
• hostility
• enemyship

Related terms

• amiable
• amicable
• amorous

Translations

friendship

• Bulgarian: приятелство (bg) (prijatelstvo), разбирателство (bg) (razbiratelstvo)
• Danish: venskab (da) n
• French: amitié (fr) f
• Galician: amizade (gl) f
• Italian: amicizia (it) f
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Japanese: 友好 (ja) (yūkō), 親睦 (ja) (shimboku), 友誼 (ja) (yūgi)
• Portuguese: amizade (pt) f
• Russian: дру́жба (ru) f (drúžba)
• Spanish: amistad (es) f

Further reading

• “amity”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “amity”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “amity”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Anagrams

• atimy