docile

adjective

doc·ile | \ ˈdä-səl

also -ˌsī(-ə)l, especially British ˈdō-ˌsī(-ə)l\

Definition of docile

1 : easily taught a docile pupil

2 : easily led or managed : tractable a docile pony

Other Words from docile Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Ready to learn the origin of docile? More Example Sentences Learn More about docile

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Other Words from docile

docilely \ ˈdä-sə(l)-lē

\ adverb

docility \ dä-ˈsi-lə-tē

, dō- \ noun

Choose the Right Synonym for docile

obedient, docile, tractable, amenable mean submissive to the will of another. obedient implies compliance with the demands or requests of one in authority. obedient to the government docile implies a predisposition to submit readily to control or guidance. a docile child tractable suggests having a character that permits easy handling or managing. tractable animals amenable suggests a willingness to yield or cooperate because of a desire to be agreeable or because of a natural open-mindedness. amenable to new ideas

Ready to learn the origin of docile?

Docile students can make teaching a lot easier. Nowadays, calling students "docile" indicates they aren't trouble-makers. But there's more than just good behavior connecting docility to teachability. The original meaning of "docile" is more to the point: "readily absorbing something taught." "The docile mind may soon thy precepts know," rendered Ben Jonson, for example, in a 17th-century translation of the Roman poet Horace. "Docile" comes from Latin docēre, which means "to teach." Other descendants of "docēre" include "doctrine" (which can mean "something that is taught"), "document" (the earliest meaning of which was "instruction"), and "doctor" and "docent" (both of which can refer to college teachers).

Examples of docile in a Sentence

In the course of a single month, from Annie's arrival to her triumph in bridling the household despot, Helen [Keller] had grown docile, affectionate, and tirelessly intent on learning from moment to moment. — Cynthia Ozick, New Yorker, 16 & 23 June 2003 Africanized honeybees look like the European honeybees now commonly found in our gardens, and like their relatives, they make honey. They are fairly docile when they are foraging, but they defend their nests ferociously. — Lynn Ocone, Sunset, February 1994 His students were docile and eager to learn. a docile young pony that went wherever it was led

Recent Examples on the Web

Whenever people talked about Asian women being these docile, subservient creatures, my grandma just blew all that out of the water. — Alexia Fernandez, PEOPLE.com, "Awkwafina Opens Up About How the Death of Her Mother at 4 Years Old Changed Her Life," 3 July 2019 Kingsnakes are docile creatures that generally measure 3 to 4 feet in length at maturity. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Column: Who knew snakes drink water?," 29 June 2019 Local rattlers are pretty docile and don't like conflict, Recchio said. — Mary Forgione, latimes.com, "It’s rattlesnake season: 12 things you need to know," 7 June 2019 Despite his visible discomfort, Big is docile amidst the Dalton family’s many micro-aggressions in order to keep his job. — Prince Shakur, Teen Vogue, ""Native Son" Reflects a World Where Young Black Men Are Often Set Up to Fail," 16 Apr. 2019 This particular species of python is a fairly common pet, as evidenced by its docile in-flight behavior. — Sam Blum, Popular Mechanics, "Python on Plane Travels from Australia to Scotland Inside Woman's Shoe," 25 Feb. 2019 Consequently, its employees are often regarded as happy, willing, and even docile. — Casey Newton, The Verge, "Facebook’s morale problem is getting worse," 6 Dec. 2018 The docile inflation reading reflected a big drop in the cost of gasoline and other energy products. — Martin Crutsinger, The Seattle Times, "US consumer prices flat in November as energy plunges," 12 Dec. 2018 That lets the wasp lead the now-docile roach to her nest by the antenna—after the roach engages in a spot of compulsive grooming behavior, because who doesn't want to look their best while being eaten alive? — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "Cockroaches deliver karate kicks to avoid being turned into “zombies”," 3 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'docile.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.