Likable

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈlaɪkəbl̩/

Definitions

1. Having qualities that make a person or thing pleasant and easy to like
2. Displaying a friendly or attractive nature that appeals to others
3. Exhibiting charm or warmth that draws positive feelings from people

Etymology: "Likable" is "like" with the suffix "-able" attached, a formation English has used for centuries to mean "capable of being" or "worthy of" whatever the base word names. The "-able" ending reached English through Old French from Latin "-abilis," which itself came from the Latin verb-forming pattern "-are" plus "-bilis," meaning "able to be." So the word's ending carries a long chain of borrowing, while the "like" at its heart is an ordinary English verb that has been in use since Old English. Because the suffix is so productive, "likable" is a straightforward compound of two parts rather than a coinage with a single inventor. It is built on the familiar verb "like," so its literal sense is "able to be liked," which is exactly what the modern definition of "easy to like" says. Dictionaries spell it both "likable" and "likeable," and the shorter spelling is the one more common in American usage.

Synonyms: pleasant, agreeable, charming, friendly

Antonyms: dislikable, unpleasant