affable en · ADJ
Pronunciation
Etymology
Borrowed from French affable, from Latin affābilis, from affor (“to address”), from ad + for (“to speak, to talk”). See fable. By surface analysis, af- + fable.
Meanings
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Receiving others kindly and conversing with them in a free and friendly manner; friendly, courteous, sociable.
[…] He stood bolt upright instead with his stumpy arms resting comfortably on the backsof the pilot's and co-pilot's seats, pipe in hand, making affable small talk to McWatt and whoever happened to be co-pilot and pointing out amusing trivia in the sky to the two men, who were too busy to be interested.
1961 November 10, Joseph Heller, “Chief White Halfoat”, in Catch-22 […], New York, N.Y.: Simon and Schuster, →OCLC, page 45: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.
1912, James Burrill Angell, “chapter ix Mission To The Ottoman Empire”, in The Reminiscences Of James Burrill Angell:
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Mild; benign.
During more affable weather, the four friends congregate outside, sometimes leaning their hickory chairs against a "catapa" tree[…]
1998, Alexia Maria Kosmider, Tricky Tribal Discourse, page 84:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most affable | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more affable | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Deriveds
affably · affability · affableness
Relateds
infamous · preface · infantry · infant · fame · fandango · fable · fate · fay · fatuous · ineffable · fabulous · infamy · infantile · fatal · nefarious
Synonyms
civil · warm · gracious · accessible · benign · courteous · personable · friendly · mild · complaisant
Translations (57)
pl życzliwy (mild; benign) · de leutselig (friendly, courteous, sociable) · de umgänglich (mild; benign) · ru приве́тливый (friendly, courteous, sociable) · bg внимателен (friendly, courteous, sociable) · uk люб'язний (friendly, courteous, sociable) · de affabel (friendly, courteous, sociable) · az gülərüz (friendly, courteous, sociable) · nl gemoedelijk (friendly, courteous, sociable) · mi wahawaha (friendly, courteous, sociable) · tr içten (mild; benign) · bg любезен (friendly, courteous, sociable) · gd tlàth (mild; benign) · nb vennlig (friendly, courteous, sociable) · pl arcymiły (friendly, courteous, sociable) · ro afabil (friendly, courteous, sociable) · it affabile (friendly, courteous, sociable) · cs přívětivý (mild; benign) · it bonario (mild; benign) · kk жайдары (friendly, courteous, sociable) · ro cordial (friendly, courteous, sociable) · sv älskvärd (friendly, courteous, sociable) · no velvillig (mild; benign) · cs vlídný (friendly, courteous, sociable) · mi whakahoahoa (friendly, courteous, sociable) · fi mukava (friendly, courteous, sociable) · mi hūmārie (friendly, courteous, sociable) · eo afabla (friendly, courteous, sociable) · mi ratarata (friendly, courteous, sociable) · nb elskverdig (friendly, courteous, sociable) · bg вежлив (friendly, courteous, sociable) · cs přívětivý (friendly, courteous, sociable) · it amabile (mild; benign) · mi hoahoa (friendly, courteous, sociable) · sv vänlig (friendly, courteous, sociable) · de umgänglich (friendly, courteous, sociable) · nl welwillend (friendly, courteous, sociable) · tr arkadaş canlısı (friendly, courteous, sociable) · bg приветлив (friendly, courteous, sociable) · gd suairce (friendly, courteous, sociable) · fr doux (mild; benign) · de nett (friendly, courteous, sociable) · es afable (friendly, courteous, sociable) · gl afábel (friendly, courteous, sociable) · ru любе́зный (mild; benign) · pl sympatyczny (friendly, courteous, sociable) · fr aimable (friendly, courteous, sociable) · nb hyggelig (friendly, courteous, sociable) · cs vlídný (mild; benign) · de freundlich (friendly, courteous, sociable) · uk привітний (friendly, courteous, sociable) · la affābilis (friendly, courteous, sociable) · sv förbindlig (friendly, courteous, sociable) · pdt schaftich (friendly, courteous, sociable) · mi takahoahoa (friendly, courteous, sociable) · pt afável (friendly, courteous, sociable) · no hyggelig (mild; benign)