docile

adjective

doc·​ile ˈdä-səl 

 also  -ˌsī(-ə)l,

 especially British  ˈdō-ˌsī(-ə)l

1

: easily taught

a docile pupil

2

: easily led or managed : tractable

a docile pony

docilely

ˈdä-sə(l)-lē 

adverb

docility

dä-ˈsi-lə-tē 

dō-

noun

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Ready to learn the origin of docile?

Docile students have always made teaching easier than it otherwise would be. Today calling students "docile" indicates that 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 the Latin verb docēre, which means "to teach." Other descendants of docēre include doctrine (which can mean "something that is taught"), document (an early meaning of which was "instruction"), and doctor and docent (both of which can refer to teachers).

Synonyms

• amenable
• biddable
• compliant
• conformable
• law-abiding
• obedient
• submissive
• tractable

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

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

Women provided cheap, docile, and uncomplaining behind-the-scenes labor in an expensive industry whose glamour was all in the hardware. —Constance Grady, Vox, 14 Apr. 2025

Smith derailed Vitor Petrino in May 2024 when the veteran made the Brazilian KO artist look docile, defeating him easily in the first round via submission. —Brian Mazique, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025

But the big attraction is Inti, a docile baby alpaca who sits next to the artisan, contentedly munching on leaves. —Jennifer Kester, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025

Over time, this could have created a population of cats that were more docile and social than their wild ancestors. —Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 14 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin docilis, from docēre to teach; akin to Latin decēre to be fitting — more at decent

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for docile

• fossil
• jostle
• apostle
• colossal
• hydrocele
• nitrosyl
• subbasal
• hypoglossal
• nannofossil

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Kids Definition

docile

adjective

doc·​ile ˈdäs-əl 

: easily taught, led, or managed

a docile pet

docilely

ˈdäs-ə(l)-lē 

adverb

docility

dä-ˈsil-ət-ē 

dō-

noun

Etymology

from Latin docilis "easily taught," from docēre "to teach" — related to doctor, doctrine