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Intimate vs Affable - What's the difference?

intimate | affable |

As adjectives the difference between intimate and affable

is that intimate is closely acquainted; familiar while affable is receiving others kindly and conversing with them in a free and friendly manner; friendly, courteous, sociable.

As a noun intimate

is a very close friend.

As a verb intimate

is to suggest or disclose discreetly.

intimate

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Closely acquainted; familiar.
  • an intimate friend
    He and his sister deeply valued their intimate relationship as they didn't have much else to live for.
  • Of or involved in a sexual relationship.
  • She enjoyed some intimate time alone with her husband.
  • Personal; private.
  • an intimate setting

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A very close friend.
  • Only a couple of intimates had ever read his writing.
  • (in plural intimates ) Women's underwear, sleepwear, or lingerie, especially offered for sale in a store.
  • You'll find bras and panties in the women's intimates section upstairs.

    Synonyms

    * (close friend) bosom buddy, bosom friend, cater-cousin

    Verb

    (intimat)
  • To suggest or disclose discreetly.
  • * '>citation
  •     The Kaiser beamed. Von Bulow had praised him. Von Bulow had exalted him and humbled himself. The Kaiser could forgive anything after that. "Haven't I always told you," he exclaimed with enthusiasm, "that we complete one another famously? We should stick together, and we will!"
        [...]
        Von Bulow saved himself in time—but, canny diplomat that he was, he nevertheless had made one error: he should have begun by talking about his own shortcomings and Wilhelm's superiority—not by intimating that the Kaiser was a half-wit in need of a guardian.
    He intimated that we should leave before the argument escalated.

    affable

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Receiving others kindly and conversing with them in a free and friendly manner; friendly, courteous, sociable.
  • * 1912 : James Burrill Angell, , chapter ix "Mission To The Ottoman Empire"
  • Furthermore, I may say, that the Sultan was always most affable to me in my interviews with him, even when I had to discuss some missionary questions. In fact, I never saw any traces of the difficulties which Mr. Terrell reported.
  • Mild; benign.
  • * 1998 : Alexia Maria Kosmider, Tricky Tribal Discourse , page 84
  • During more affable weather, the four friends congregate outside, sometimes leaning their hickory chairs against a "catapa" tree...

    Synonyms

    * accessible, civil, complaisant, courteous, friendly, gracious * benign, mild, warm

    Derived terms

    * affability * affableness * affably