personable
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English[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
- personible (obsolete)
- parsonable (obsolete)
Etymology[edit]
From Middle English personable, personabil, equivalent to person + -able. Compare Medieval Latin personabilis (“personal”), found in a late 13th century British source. The Middle French personable (“remarkable, important”) does not appear until 1528.
Pronunciation[edit]
Adjective[edit]
personable (comparative more personable, superlative most personable)
- (of a person) Having a pleasing appearance; attractive; handsome.
- 1822, Sir Walter Scott, The Fortunes of Nigel, ch. 19:
- I admit him a personable man, for I have seen him; and I will suppose him courteous and agreeable.
- 1908, E. M. Forster, A Room With a View, ch. 12:
- Barefoot, bare-chested, radiant and personable against the shadowy woods, he called: "Hullo, Miss Honeychurch! Hullo!"
- 1822, Sir Walter Scott, The Fortunes of Nigel, ch. 19:
- (of a person) Having a pleasant or manner; friendly; amiable.
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto IV”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, OCLC 960102938, stanza 5:
- Wise, warlike, personable, curteous, and kind.
- 1919, Joseph A. Altsheler. The Sun Of Quebec, ch. 5:
- I'm bound to admit that you're a personable young rascal, with the best manners I've met in a long time.
- 2009, Randy James, "2-Min. Bio: Stephanie Birkitt: Letterman's Lover?," Time, 5 Oct.:
- Aside from being incredibly funny and personable he is generous, kind and is great fun to play catch with.
- (law, obsolete) Enabled to maintain pleas in court.
- 15th century, Petitions of the Commons[1]
- The Queen be by that name personable to plead
- 1607, John Cowell), The Interpreter
- The demaundant was iudged personable to maintaine this action
- 15th century, Petitions of the Commons[1]
Synonyms[edit]
- (having a pleasing appearance or manner): affable
Derived terms[edit]
Translations[edit]
having pleasing appearance or manner
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Categories:
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms suffixed with -able
- English 4-syllable words
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- English lemmas
- English adjectives
- English terms with quotations
- en:Law
- English terms with obsolete senses
- en:Personality