congeniality

[ kuhn-jee-nee-al-i-tee ]

noun

1. the quality of being agreeable, suitable, or pleasant:

   The guest rooms combine the very latest in technology with the best facilities, comfort, and congeniality.

2. the quality of being well-matched or agreeable to each other; compatibility:

   In later years, the two men’s friendship was cemented by their intellectual and religious congeniality.

Other Words From

• un·con·ge·ni·al·i·ty noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of congeniality¹

congenial ( def ) + -ity ( def )

Example Sentences

Still, they endure and the Harris/Walz ticket will have to gel fast, in the thick of battle and with a congeniality that wins over critics.

From Salon

Getting there will require a return to the congeniality of legislatures past, he said, when lawmakers often met political adversaries outside the chamber for lunch or dinner or even drinks to talk compromise.

From Seattle Times

“Minnesota nice,” the stereotype of the Upper Midwest’s congeniality, needs an asterisk denoting an exception.

From Washington Post

"People have stopped working together, government is dysfunctional, there's no collaborating and congeniality," Bloomberg said to applause from the crowd.

From Salon

This season, as she tells Ted time and again, she's done being content with congeniality and team spirit.

From Salon

More About Congeniality

What does congeniality mean?

Congeniality is the quality of being pleasant and agreeable.

Someone who’s known for their congeniality is friendly, nice, and easy to get along with. Such a person can be described as congenial.

The word congeniality is typically used to refer to a quality of a person, but it can also be used to refer to the quality of a situation or environment, as in We try to maintain a sense of congeniality and camaraderie in the office. 

Less commonly, congeniality can refer to the quality of being well matched, as in It’s a friendship based on congeniality—they share several interests. The word compatibility is a close synonym of this sense of congeniality.

Example: Jess is known around town for her congeniality—she has a kind word for everyone she meets.

Where does congeniality come from?

The first records of the word congeniality come from the 1600s. The suffix -ity is used in nouns to indicate a state or condition. The base word, congenial, is essentially a combination of con-, meaning “same” or “together,” and genial, meaning “warmly and pleasantly cheerful,” from the Latin geniālis, “festive, jovial, pleasant.”

The words congeniality and geniality can be used as synonyms. The title Miss Congeniality refers to an award given in some pageants to the contestant voted as having the most pleasant personality. It’s also sometimes used in a figurative way to refer to a person who is being extra friendly or in an ironic way to someone who is being disagreeable.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to congeniality?

• uncongeniality (noun)
• congenial (adjective)

What are some synonyms for congeniality?

• geniality
• affability
• conviviality
• amiableness
• cordiality
• agreeability
• friendliness

What are some words that share a root or word element with congeniality? 

• genial
• genius

What are some words that often get used in discussing congeniality?

• friendly
• agreeable
• pleasant
• nice
• warm
• miss
• award
• win

How is congeniality used in real life?

Congeniality is always used in a positive way. A lot of people know the word from the title Miss Congeniality (which is also the name of a movie).

Saddened by the news of Louise Slaughter's passing. In a public service career that began in 1976, Louise set an example for her fellow colleagues in her tenacity & bipartisan congeniality, as well as for other women with aspirations of running for office.

— Charlie Dent (@RepCharlieDent) March 16, 2018

"I've never worked in an atmosphere like this ever, there is a huge amount of congeniality here, a huge amount of support and everyone is working together…" https://t.co/TQKnDiO7dh

— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) March 12, 2020

Since we need more kindness and congeniality, congratulations to Dodgers fans. Particularly eight-time cable car bell ringing champ Byron Cobb who is probably as well-known for his ever-present Dodgers cap as he is for his bell ringing. #TotalSF pic.twitter.com/I2d2CY1BbB

— Heather Knight (@hknightsf) October 28, 2020

Try using congeniality!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of congeniality?

A. affability

B. conviviality

C. incompatibility

D. geniality