Vocabulary
C1
6 min read
Updated 15 June 2026
Quick Answer
Amiable describes a person with a friendly, good-natured character; amicable describes a relationship, agreement, or settlement that is friendly and free of conflict.
Amiable and amicable both come from the Latin amicus (friend), so both signal friendliness — but they describe different things. Amiable describes a person who is warm, likeable, and good-natured. Amicable describes a relationship or arrangement between people that is peaceable and free of hostility. An amiable colleague is pleasant company; an amicable divorce is one settled without bitterness. Decide whether you are describing a character or a settlement, and the choice becomes clear.
At a Glance: Amiable vs Amicable
| Word | Part of Speech | Pronunciation | Core Meaning |
|---|
| amiable |
adjective |
/ˈeɪmiəbl/ |
friendly and pleasant in character (of a person) |
| amicable |
adjective |
/ˈæmɪkəbl/ |
characterised by friendliness and goodwill (of relations or agreements) |
Using “Amiable”
Amiable applies to people (and their manner or expression). An amiable person is easy to like — sociable, agreeable, and pleasant to be around. Use it when you are describing somebody's temperament or a warm, friendly look.
When to use it
- A friendly person: an amiable host
- A pleasant manner: an amiable smile
- Good-natured temperament: amiable and easy-going
- Sociable and likeable behaviour
- Related words: amiably, amiability
Our amiable neighbour always stops for a chat.
He greeted us with an amiable smile.
She is an amiable, easy-going manager.
The amiable old man told us stories for hours.
Despite the pressure, the captain stayed amiable throughout.
Using “Amicable”
Amicable applies to relationships, agreements, and dealings between people or groups. An amicable arrangement is reached peaceably, without quarrelling. Use it for settlements, separations, negotiations, and any interaction marked by goodwill rather than conflict.
When to use it
- A friendly relationship: they remain on amicable terms
- A peaceable settlement: an amicable divorce
- Goodwill in negotiation: an amicable agreement
- An end to a dispute without hostility
- Related word: amicably
The two firms reached an amicable settlement.
They divorced, but stayed on amicable terms.
After an amicable discussion, both sides agreed.
The dispute ended amicably with no bad feeling.
Relations between the neighbours are perfectly amicable.
The Key Difference
Ask whether you are describing a person or a relationship. Amiable describes the friendly character of a person — an amiable host, an amiable smile. Amicable describes friendly dealings between people — an amicable settlement, amicable terms. People are amiable; arrangements and relations are amicable. You would not call a divorce amiable, nor would you call a person amicable in standard usage.
Memory Tip
Amiable has an extra a for a likeable person — picture an amiable individual. Amicable has a c for a contract or compromise reached without conflict. Person to like equals amiable; agreement without conflict equals amicable.
Common Mistakes
They reached an amiable settlement after months of talks.
They reached an amicable settlement after months of talks. (a friendly agreement is amicable)
Our amicable host welcomed every guest warmly.
Our amiable host welcomed every guest warmly. (a friendly person is amiable)
The exes stayed on amiable terms after the split.
The exes stayed on amicable terms after the split. (friendly relations are amicable)
She has an amicable, good-natured personality.
She has an amiable, good-natured personality. (a friendly character is amiable)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between amiable and amicable?
Amiable describes a person who is friendly, warm, and good-natured, focusing on individual character, as in an amiable host. Amicable describes a relationship, agreement, or settlement that is friendly and free of conflict, focusing on dealings between people, as in an amicable divorce. Both words come from the Latin amicus, meaning friend, which is why they overlap, but amiable is about what a person is like, while amicable is about how people get along or settle things together.
Is a person amiable or amicable?
A person is amiable. Amiable is the correct adjective for describing someone's friendly, pleasant character, as in an amiable colleague or an amiable smile. Amicable is normally reserved for relationships, agreements, and arrangements rather than individuals, so saying an amicable person sounds odd to careful readers. If you are describing a likeable, good-natured individual, choose amiable; if you are describing the friendly way two or more people deal with each other, choose amicable.
What does an amicable divorce mean?
An amicable divorce is one that is settled in a friendly, cooperative way, without bitterness or hostility between the two people. The couple agree terms peaceably, often avoiding lengthy court battles. Amicable is the right word because it describes the friendly relationship and the goodwill in the settlement, not the character of either individual. You would not call it an amiable divorce, because amiable describes a pleasant person rather than a peaceable arrangement between people.
Can amiable and amicable be used interchangeably?
No, although they are close in meaning and origin. Amiable describes the friendly nature of a person, while amicable describes friendly relations or agreements between people. Swapping them produces awkward or wrong sentences, such as an amiable settlement or an amicable host. The reliable test is to ask whether you are describing one person's character, which calls for amiable, or the friendly dealings between people, which call for amicable.
How do you pronounce amiable and amicable?
Amiable is pronounced /ˈeɪmiəbl/, roughly AY-mee-uh-bl, with the stress on the first syllable and a long A sound at the start. Amicable is pronounced /ˈæmɪkəbl/, roughly AM-ik-uh-bl, also stressed on the first syllable but with a short A and a clear hard C in the middle. The hard C sound in amicable is the easiest clue: if you hear a k sound, the word is amicable.
Where do amiable and amicable come from?
Both words derive from the Latin amicus, meaning friend, and the related amicabilis, meaning friendly. This shared root explains why they feel so similar and why both carry a sense of friendliness. Over time English settled amiable on describing a friendly, likeable person and amicable on describing friendly relations and peaceable agreements. Knowing they spring from the same friendly root, then splitting them into person versus relationship, makes the pair much easier to handle.
Is amiable a compliment?
Yes, amiable is a positive, complimentary word. Calling someone amiable means they are pleasant, friendly, sociable, and easy to like. It suggests an agreeable temperament and warmth in social situations. It is slightly gentler than enthusiastic or charismatic, implying steady good nature rather than dramatic charm. Because it praises a person's character, amiable is a safe and flattering choice when you want to describe somebody as genuinely nice to be around.
What is the opposite of amicable?
The opposite of amicable is hostile, antagonistic, or acrimonious. Where amicable describes relations and agreements marked by friendliness and goodwill, its antonyms describe dealings full of conflict, ill will, or bitterness. For example, an amicable settlement is the opposite of an acrimonious dispute. Choosing amicable signals that people have parted or agreed on good terms, so its opposites stress quarrelling, resentment, and a breakdown of friendly relations.
Can a meeting be amicable?
Yes. A meeting, discussion, or negotiation can be amicable when it is conducted in a friendly, cooperative spirit without conflict. For example, the talks were amicable, or they reached an amicable agreement at the meeting. Because a meeting involves dealings between people, amicable is the natural choice. You would not normally call a meeting amiable, since amiable describes the pleasant character of an individual rather than the friendly tone of an interaction.
How can I remember which word to use?
Link each word to a memory hook. Amiable has an extra a and describes an amiable person you would like to meet. Amicable contains a c, like contract or compromise, and describes a friendly agreement reached without conflict. So a likeable individual is amiable, while a peaceable settlement or friendly relationship is amicable. Ask whether you are describing a person or a deal between people, and the right word follows.
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