Where does “amiable” come from?
Amiable comes from Middle English amyable, from Old French amiable, from Late Latin amicabilis meaning "friendly," derived from Latin roots -abilis and -icus ultimately traced to Proto-Indo-European -kos and am-a-.
amiable (English): Friendly; kind; sweet; gracious; Of a pleasant...
Definitions
- Friendly; kind; sweet; gracious; Of a pleasant...
Ancestry of “amiable”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | amyable | likable; amiable |
| 2 | Old French | amiable | likable; amiable |
| 3 | Late Latin | amicabilis | friendly; friendly, capable of being friendly |
| 4 | Latin | amīcus | friendly, well-disposed, amicable |
| 5 | Latin | amō | to love |
| 6 | Latin | Deus | God |
| 7 | Latin | dẹ̄vos | — |
| 8 | Old Latin | deivos | god, deity |
| 9 | Proto-Italic | deiwos | god, deity |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | deywós | god |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | dyew- | to be bright; sky, heaven |