affability

American  

[af-uh-bil-i-tee] / ˌæf əˈbɪl ɪ ti /

Rarely affableness

noun

1. the quality of being pleasantly easy to approach and talk to; friendliness or warm politeness.

   Her affability and good nature endear her to all those acquainted with her, and put at ease anyone meeting her for the first time.

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Other Word Forms

• unaffableness noun

Etymology

Origin of affability

First recorded in 1450–1500; from Middle French affabilité, from Latin affābilitāt-, stem of affābilitās, equivalent to affābil(is) “that can be spoken to, courteous” ( affable ( def. ) ) + -itās -ity ( def. )

Example Sentences

"There is an affability about him, but he's also not afraid of stirring the pot. He's very authentic and has a big personality without necessarily dominating the space."

From BBC • May 14, 2025

He's a bit like Mike Heck from "The Middle" mixed with a little of Dan Conner's DNA, and wasn’t Dan's affability a main reason “The Conners” could move forward without Roseanne Barr?

From Salon • Aug. 7, 2024

For all his affability, he holds some dark beliefs.

From Slate • May 6, 2024

Isaac’s smiling affability lends the piece a different tone than Donahoe’s bashful bloke demeanor.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 18, 2023

Both his affability and his harshness compelled others as they did me; and he hath been admitted into a great variety of circles of friendship and amity that remain generally closed.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson