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Webster 1913 Edition

Amiable

A′mi-a-ble

,
Adj.
[F.
amiable
, L.
amicabilis
friendly, fr.
amicus
friend, fr.
amare
to love. The meaning has been influenced by F.
aimable
, L.
amabilis
lovable, fr.
amare
to love. Cf.
Amicable
,
Amorous
,
Amability
.]
1.
Lovable; lovely; pleasing.
[Obs. or R.]
So
amiable
a prospect.
Sir T. Herbert.
2.
Friendly; kindly; sweet; gracious;
as, an
amiable
temper or mood;
amiable
ideas.
3.
Possessing sweetness of disposition; having sweetness of temper, kind-heartedness, etc., which causes one to be liked;
as, an
amiable
woman
.
4.
Done out of love.
[Obs.]
Lay an
amiable
siege to the honesty of this Ford’s wife.
Shakespeare

Webster 1828 Edition

Amiable

A'MIABLE

,
Adj.
[L. amabilis; from amo, to love.]
1.
Lovely; worth of love; deserving of affection; applied usually to persons. But in Ps. 84:1, there is an exception, 'How amiable are the tabernacles, O Lord.'
2.
Pretending or showing love.
Lay amiable siege to the honesty of this Ford's wife.
But this use is not legitimate.

Definition 2024

amiable

amiable

English

Adjective

amiable ‎(comparative more amiable, superlative most amiable)

  1. Friendly; kind; sweet; gracious; as, an amiable temper or mood; amiable ideas.
    • 1907, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, “chapter III”, in The Younger Set (Project Gutenberg; EBook #14852), New York, N.Y.: A. L. Burt Company, published 1 February 2005 (Project Gutenberg version), OCLC 4241346:
      A short time afterward at the opera Gerald dragged him into a parterre to say something amiable to one of the amiable débutante Craig girls—and Selwyn found himself again facing Alixe.
  2. Possessing sweetness of disposition; having sweetness of temper; kindhearted; which causes one to be liked; as, an amiable person.
    • 1907, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, “chapter III”, in The Younger Set (Project Gutenberg; EBook #14852), New York, N.Y.: A. L. Burt Company, published 1 February 2005 (Project Gutenberg version), OCLC 4241346:
      A short time afterward at the opera Gerald dragged him into a parterre to say something amiable to one of the amiable débutante Craig girls—and Selwyn found himself again facing Alixe.

Usage notes

Synonyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

French

Adjective

amiable m, f ‎(plural amiables)

  1. amiable

Old French

Adjective

amiable m ‎(oblique and nominative feminine singular amiable)

  1. likable; amiable

Descendants

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(key): /ˈeɪ.mi.ə.bəl/, /ˈæ.mi.ə.bəl/

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