Word of the Day

: February 13, 2013

companionable

adjective kum-PAN-yuh-nuh-bul

What It Means

: marked by, conducive to, or suggestive of companionship : sociable

companionable in Context

I've come to enjoy sharing a dorm room with Brad; he's a companionable roommate and we get along well together.

"Most of the 100 or more mama cows and calves stand in a companionable cluster as they munch on rye grass and red clover." - From an article by John Kessler in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, September 23, 2012

Did You Know?

A "companionable" person is someone who (etymologically at least) is willing to share bread with you. "Companionable" is the adjective form of "companion," which ultimately derives from a combination of the Latin prefix "com-," meaning "with" or "together," and the noun "panis," meaning "bread, loaf, or food." "Companionable" first appeared in print in English in the 14th century ("companion" has been around for at least a century longer). Other descendants of "panis" include "pantry" (a place for storing food), "pannier" (a basket such as might carry food), and "panettone" (a kind of yeast bread). Even "food" itself is derived from the same ancient root that gave rise to "panis" in Latin.