What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Meek vs Fickle - What's the difference?

meek | fickle |

As adjectives the difference between meek and fickle

is that meek is humble, modest, meager, or self-effacing while fickle is quick to change one’s opinion or allegiance; insincere; not loyal or reliable.

As verbs the difference between meek and fickle

is that meek is (us) (of horses) to while fickle is to deceive; flatter.

meek

English

Adjective

(er)
  • Humble, modest, meager, or self-effacing.
  • * 1848:
  • Mrs. Wickam was a meek woman...who was always ready to pity herself, or to be pitied, or to pity anybody else...
  • * "Blessed are the meek , for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5)
  • Submissive, dispirited.
  • * 1920: , Main Street [http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/ot2www-pubeng?specfile=/texts/english/modeng/publicsearch/modengpub.o2w&act=surround&offset=432765822&tag=Lewis,+Sinclair:+Main+Street,+1920&query=+meek&id=LewMain]
  • What if they were wolves instead of lambs? They'd eat her all the sooner if she was meek to them. Fight or be eaten.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (US) (of horses) To .
  • fickle

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) fikil, fikil, from (etyl) {{term, ficol, , fickle, cunning, tricky , deceitful, lang=ang}}, equivalent to . More at (l).

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • Quick to change one’s opinion or allegiance; insincere; not loyal or reliable.
  • (figurative) changeable
  • * 2014, (Paul Salopek), Blessed. Cursed. Claimed. , National Geographic (December 2014)[http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2014/12/pilgrim-roads/salopek-text]
  • To the south, the vast geometrical deserts of Arabian nomads, a redoubt of feral movement, of fickle winds, of open space, of saddle leather—home to the wild Bedouin tribes.
    Derived terms
    * (l) * (l)

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) fikelen, from .

    Verb

    (fickl)
  • To deceive; flatter.
  • To puzzle; perplex; nonplus.