Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Affable

Af′fa-ble

,
Adj.
[F.
affable
, L.
affabilis
, fr.
affari
to speak to;
ad
+
fari
to speak. See
Fable
.]
1.
Easy to be spoken to or addressed; receiving others kindly and conversing with them in a free and friendly manner; courteous; sociable.
An
affable
and courteous gentleman.
Shakespeare
His manners polite and
affable
.
Macaulay.
2.
Gracious; mild; benign.
A serene and
affable
countenance.
Tatler.
Syn. – Courteous; civil; complaisant; accessible; mild; benign; condescending.

Webster 1828 Edition


Affable

AF'FABLE

,
Adj.
[L. affabilis, of ad and fabulor. See Fable.]
1.
Easy of conversation; admitting others to free conversation without reserve; courteous; complaisant; of easy manners; condescending; usually applied to superiors; as an affable prince.
2.
Applied to external appearance, affable denotes that combination of features, which invites to conversation, and renders a person accessible, opposed to a forbidding aspect; mild; benign; as, an affable countenance.

Definition 2024


affable

affable

English

Adjective

affable (comparative more affable, superlative most affable)

  1. Receiving others kindly and conversing with them in a free and friendly manner; friendly, courteous, sociable.
    • 1912: James Burrill Angell, The Reminiscences Of James Burrill Angell, chapter ix "Mission To The Ottoman Empire"
      Furthermore, I may say, that the Sultan was always most affable to me in my interviews with him, even when I had to discuss some missionary questions. In fact, I never saw any traces of the difficulties which Mr. Terrell reported.
  2. Mild; benign.
    • 1998: Alexia Maria Kosmider, Tricky Tribal Discourse, page 84
      During more affable weather, the four friends congregate outside, sometimes leaning their hickory chairs against a "catapa" tree...

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations


French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /a.fabl/
  • Rhymes: -abl
  • Homophone: affables

Adjective

affable m, f (plural affables)

  1. affable, amicable, sociable

Related terms