different between affectionate vs amiable

English

Etymology 1

Partly from Latin affectionatus, partly from affection + -ate. Doublet of aficionado.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??f?k??n?t/
• Hyphenation: af?fec?tion?ate

Adjective

affectionate (comparative more affectionate, superlative most affectionate)

1. (of a person) Having affection or warm regard; loving; fond.

   She eulogised her always warm and affectionate brother.

2. (of an action, etc.) Characterised by or proceeding from affection; indicating love; tender.

   the affectionate care of a parent; an affectionate countenance; an affectionate message; affectionate language

   • 1900, Charles W. Chesnutt, The House Behind the Cedars, Chapter I,

     Warwick left the undertaker's shop and retraced his steps until he had passed the lawyer's office, toward which he threw an affectionate glance.

3. (obsolete) Eager; passionate; strongly inclined toward something.

Synonyms

• tender; lovesome; attached; loving; devoted; warm; fond; earnest; ardent.
• See also Thesaurus:affectionate

Derived terms

• affectionately

Related terms

• affect
• affectation
• affecter
• affective
• affection

Translations

Etymology 2

Either from the adjective, or from affection + -ate (modelled on Middle French affectionner).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??f?k??ne?t/

Verb

affectionate (third-person singular simple present affectionates, present participle affectionating, simple past and past participle affectionated)

1. (rare) To show affection to; to have affection for.
2. (obsolete, reflexive) To emotionally attach (oneself) to.
   • , Folio Society, 2006, p.21:

     Plutarch saith fitly of those who affectionate themselves to Monkies and little Dogges, that […].

   • 1721, John Rushworth, Historical Collections Of Private Passages of State, etc.: 1618—1629, Volume 1, page 222,

     And fir?t, his Maje?ty would have you to under?tand, That there was never any King more loving to his People, or better affectionated to the right u?e of Parliaments, than his Maje?ty hath approved him?elf to be, […].

   • 1838 February 1, Charles Dickens, To Catherine Dickens, 2012, Jenny Hartley (editor), The Selected Letters of Charles Dickens, page 41,

     Ever my dear Kate your affectionated husband

     CHARLES DICKENS

Latin

Adjective

affecti?n?te

1. vocative masculine singular of affecti?n?tus

Scots

Adjective

affectionate (comparative mair affectionate, superlative maist affectionate)

1. affectionate

References

• Eagle, Andy, ed. (2016) The Online Scots Dictionary, Scots Online.

English

Etymology

From Middle English amyable, from Old French amiable, from Late Latin am?c?bilis (“friendly”), from Latin am?cus (“friend”), from am? (“I love”). The meaning has been influenced by French amiable and Latin am?bilis (“loveable”). Compare with amicable, amorous, amability.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?e?.mi.?.b?l/, /?æ.mi.?.b?l/

Adjective

amiable (comparative more amiable, superlative most amiable)

1. Friendly; kind; sweet; gracious

   • A short time afterward at the opera Gerald dragged him into a parterre to say something amiable to one of the amiable débutante Craig girls—and Selwyn found himself again facing Alixe.

2. Of a pleasant and likeable nature; kind-hearted; easy to like
   • c. 1521, John Skelton, “Speke Parott”:

     My dey?y delectabyll
     My prymerose commendabyll
     My vyolet amyabyll
     My ioye in explicabill
     Nowe torne agayne to me

   • A short time afterward at the opera Gerald dragged him into a parterre to say something amiable to one of the amiable débutante Craig girls—and Selwyn found himself again facing Alixe.

Usage notes

• See amicable.

Synonyms

• likable

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Further reading

• amiable in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• amiable in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• amiable at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• aimable

French

Etymology

Inherited from Late Latin am?c?bilis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.mjabl/

Adjective

amiable (plural amiables)

1. amiable

Derived terms

• à l'amiable

Further reading

• “amiable” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Old French

Etymology

From Late Latin am?c?bilis (“friendly”), from Latin am?cus (“friend”), from am? (“I love”).

Adjective

amiable m (oblique and nominative feminine singular amiable)

1. likable; amiable

Descendants

• Middle French: amyable
• Middle English: amyable, amiable
  • English: amiable