affable

adjective

af·​fa·​ble ˈa-fə-bəl How to pronounce affable (audio)
1
: being pleasant and at ease in talking to others
an affable host
2
: characterized by ease and friendliness
an affable manner
affability noun

Did you know?

Affable comes from Latin affārī, meaning "to speak to." Other fārī relatives—the word itself means "to speak"—are infant, fable, and fate, among others.

Did you know?

The Gender of an affable Personality?

One of the peculiarities of the English language is that ungendered words (especially nouns) may occasionally take gendered pronouns or modifiers. A ship, for example, is often called "she." We also find that some general-purpose words (especially adjectives) tend to be used of one sex rather than the other. Such is the case with affable, which our records show is far more likely to be used to describe a man than a woman. This should not be taken as evidence that men are friendlier or easier to speak with (nor should you shy away from describing a woman as affable), but it does serve to illustrate the manner in which the word is often used.

Choose the Right Synonym for affable

gracious, cordial, affable, genial, sociable mean markedly pleasant and easy in social intercourse.

gracious implies courtesy and kindly consideration.

the gracious award winner thanked her colleagues

cordial stresses warmth and heartiness.

our host was cordial as he greeted us

affable implies easy approachability and readiness to respond pleasantly to conversation or requests or proposals.

though wealthy, she was affable to all

genial stresses cheerfulness and even joviality.

a genial companion with a ready quip

sociable suggests a genuine liking for the companionship of others.

sociable people who enjoy entertaining

Examples of affable in a Sentence

Bertie's a bright, affable fellow, but every little success he has feels cheapened in comparison with his dad's overpowering accomplishments. Lev Grossman, Time, 7 Feb. 2005
In repose, he can be affable and quite funny. But woe betide anyone who crosses him or who fails to perform to his demanding standards. Anthony Bianco et al., Business Week, 9 Sept. 2002
The owner emerged from a galley kitchen … to explain that the restaurant was supposed to be closed. This roly-poly man with graying locks above a noble, high forehead was affable and articulate, not your average short-order cook. John Krich, San Francisco Examiner, 21 Aug. 1994
a lively, affable young fellow as the show's affable host, she keeps the freewheeling gabfest from getting out of hand
Recent Examples on the Web Fieri is an affable host, the meals look exquisite, and sometimes your favorite TV chefs (Jet Tila, Anne Burrell, and more) take on the game. Briana Richert, James Mercadante, EW.com, 19 Feb. 2024 Chapman, as the affable, slightly gullible, and definitely goofy Anna, is the heart of the show and her openness as someone who just wants to love and be loved is endlessly endearing for the duration of the two-hour and 15-minute runtime. Kathryn Gregory, The Courier-Journal, 31 Jan. 2024 He was praised for his collaborative management style and strategic vision, for being affable and engaging — the opposite of Scott in many regards. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2024 Harrison Smith’s Charley, Frank’s songwriting partner, is affable amid his resentment. Zachary Pincus-Roth, Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2024 McArdle is affable enough as a hustler with a heart of gold, while Elliott is forced to attempt the impossible feat of recreating Kingsley’s verbal barrage, which likely set a cinematic record for uses of the C-word per minute. Alison Herman, Variety, 25 Jan. 2024 In the process, the affable singer-songwriter brought Perry and Richie into the places and spaces that helped shape not only many of Bryan’s 26 No. 1 Country Airplay hits, but his charismatic stage presence and who Bryan is as a person. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 14 Feb. 2024 Lord Leonard Hoffman, an affable South African, presided over a three-member panel. Jesse Barron, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2024 In body and soul, the formidable strength of Hercules meets a dash of Jethro Bodine’s affable naivety. Christopher Knight, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'affable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English affabyl, borrowed from Anglo-French affable, borrowed from Latin affābilis, from affārī "to speak to, address" (from ad- ad- + fārī "to speak") + -bilis "capable of (being acted upon)" — more at ban entry 1, -able

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of affable was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near affable

Cite this Entry

“Affable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affable. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

affable

adjective
af·​fa·​ble ˈaf-ə-bəl How to pronounce affable (audio)
: being at ease and pleasant especially in conversation
an affable host
affability noun
affably adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on affable

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