Amenable

/əˈminəbəl/ adjective

Definition

Open and responsive to suggestion; easily persuaded or controlled; liable to be brought to account.

Etymology

From French 'amener' meaning 'to lead to,' from Latin 'ad-' (to) plus 'minare' (to drive animals). Originally meant 'liable to be led' like livestock, then evolved to mean 'willing to be guided' or 'responsive to direction.'

Kelly Says

Think 'a-MEAN-able' — someone who's NOT mean is amenable! They're agreeable and easy to work with. The original meaning about leading animals helps explain why amenable people are easy to 'lead' or persuade.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.