Etymograph

English

amiable

Amiable comes from Old French amiable ‘likable’, from Late Latin amīcābilis ‘friendly’, and ultimately from Latin amīcus.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEamīcus1‘friend’
  2. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEamīcābilis1‘friendly’
  3. Old Frenchc. 842–1400amiable1‘likable’
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500amyable1‘likable’
  5. Englishearliest quotation c. 1521amiable1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English amiable
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: c. 1521, John Skelton: “My deyſy delectabyll My prymerose commendabyll My vyolet amyabyll…”.

Earlier history not traced here. See Wiktionary.

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEamīcusWiktionary, English amiable‘friend’
  2. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEamīcābilisWiktionary, English amiable‘friendly’
  3. Old Frenchc. 842–1400amiableWiktionary, English amiable‘likable’
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500amyableWiktionary, English amiable‘likable’
  5. Englishearliest quotation c. 1521amiableWiktionary, English amiable. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: c. 1521, John Skelton: “My deyſy delectabyll My prymerose commendabyll My vyolet amyabyll…”

The story

The meaning has been influenced by French amiable and Latin amābilis (‘loveable’) (whence English aimable and amable).

Full etymology on Wiktionary

Linked words

through Latin amīcus ‘friend’

enemy, enmity, amity, amigo, inimical, 5 more

through Late Latin amīcābilis ‘friendly’

amicable

Today it means

adj Friendly; kind; sweet; gracious.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “amiable”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Latin amīcus / amiable

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